Cargo Facts Symposium 2025 to examine latest freighter developments

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The thirty-first annual Cargo Facts Symposium 2025 debuts in Nashville this week, bringing together industry leaders, stakeholders and market influencers to the Grand Hyatt Hotel. Attendees will share insights on the developing trends in the market and evaluate the global events that continue to shift the landscape of the industry across the Americas and the world.

Aside from the uncertainty of geopolitical tensions within the region and abroad, the freighter market continues to suffer from a shortage of dedicated capacity in the widebody segment. The role of 777 conversions will represent a major theme that Cargo Facts Symposium will cover this year.

View the full event agenda.

777 conversions begin service

The widebody segment received some relief when the FAA and the Civil Aviation Authority of Israel approved IAI’s 777-300ERSF conversion program on Sept. 1.

Kalitta Air has become the first carrier to launch service with the new type, beginning trans-Pacific flights with the 2005-vintage prototype (32789) on Oct. 11 from Cincinnati (CVG) to Hong Kong (HKG) and its sistership (32785) from CVG to Tokyo (NRT) and HKG on Oct. 12.

Including units 32789 and 32785, Kalitta Air took delivery of two other 777-300ERSFs (32792 and 32791) on lease from AerCap in September and another this week, and expects to operate seven units by the end of the year.

Two more carriers hope to start flying 777-300ERSFs by yearend.

New narrowbody freighters

Meanwhile, the narrowbody freighter sector remained very quiet, but still saw several more 737NGs entering service in the Americas.

Miami-based startup 7Air achieved its narrowbody fleet goals this year and put into commercial operation four 737-800 freighters, with the most recent addition being a 1999-vintage 737-800BCF (29445) on lease from Spectre Air Capital.

Panama-based Copa Airlines doubled its 737-800BCF fleet in September when it leased its second Boeing-converted 737-800 from Icelease.

These promising signs in the narrowbody sector may point to a slight recovery in the year ahead.

Key sessions at CFS 2025

Cargo Facts Symposium 2025 will feature a fireside chat with MSC Air Cargo Chief Executive Jannie Davel, along with panel discussions that will provide in-depth analysis on topics such as:

• 777 freighter conversions;
• A330Fs and the future of medium-widebody freighters;
• 737 and A320 family conversions;
• The state of the freighter market and an industry outlook; and
• Sustainable jet fuel and the energy costs of tomorrow.

Among the distinguished speakers joining the panel discussions are:

• Nadeem Sultan, senior vice president of cargo planning and freighters at Emirates SkyCargo;
• Bill Tarpley, chief executive of Mammoth Freighters;
• Crawford Hamilton, head of freighter marketing at Airbus;
• Charlotte Herhold, vice president of strategy and business development at CleanJoule; and
• Anna Kopinski, director of asset valuations at mba Aviation.

Follow daily coverage of Cargo Facts Symposium’s highlights, and utilize the mobile event app to network with other attendees.

Cargo Facts LATAM 2026, the essential event for stakeholders in Latin America, will take place Feb. 10-12 at the Marquis Reforma in Mexico City. Learn more and register by Dec. 19 to take advantage of early-bird pricing.