UPS is to significantly increase its cargo capacity with an additional 14 Boeing 747-8 Freighters and four new Boeing 767s.

The additional aircraft building on UPS’s 2016 order of 14 747-8Fs, and all 32 of the jets will be delivered by the end of 2022, adding more than nine million pounds of cargo capacity.

UPS chairman and chief executive officer, David Abney says: “Our intra-U.S. next-day and deferred air shipments are expanding to record levels, and UPS’s International segment has produced four consecutive quarters of double-digit export shipment growth.

“To support this strong customer demand, we continue to invest in additional air capacity, providing the critical link our customers need to markets around the world.”

In addition to growing customer demand for express services, UPS says recent US tax reform legislation is enabling UPS to utilise tax savings to significantly increase capital investments and to make them earlier than previously planned.

UPS Airlines president, Brendan Canavan says: “As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of UPS Airlines today, we are seeing unprecedented demand for our air products.

“The new freighters will allow us to continue upsizing aircraft on routes and will create a cascading effect that will boost capacity on regional routes around the world.”

The 747-8 Freighter carries 46 shipping containers, 34 on its main deck and 12 in its lower compartments, and the aircraft has a cargo capacity of 139 tonnes with a range of 4,200 nautical miles.

The 767 has a cargo capacity of 60 tonnes with 24 containers on the main deck and seven in the lower compartments, with a range of 3,000 nautical miles.

UPS operates 59 767s, took delivery of three 747-8Fs in 2017 and has an airline network of more than 500 owned and leased aircraft.