MSC, which already operates one of the world’s largest fleets of cargo ships and has been rapidly expanding its fleet of giant cruise ships is now ready to take to the air with a new air cargo operation.
MSC, or Mediterranean Shipping Corporation, announced it has acquired four 777-200F freighters as its startup fleet. For now, they’ll operate in MSC livery with operations contracted out to Atlas Air, a cargo specialist that also flies a chunk of Amazon’s planes.
The demand for air cargo space grew immensely during the pandemic as a way to move crucial cargoes past backed-up sea cargo fleets. And, for sea operators like MSC, that was also a time when sea cargo rates spiraled up, providing a financial base for new ventures.
Among MSC’s newer ventures was a joint proposal with Lufthansa to buy a majority share in Italy’s state-owned airline ITA. However, a different group won the right to negotiate for a sale.
