With the boom in express delivery services and a burgeoning e-commerce market, demand for the Boeing 737 800BCF (Boeing Converted Freighter) has further increased. As a consequence, Boeing has chosen to create two new, dedicated production lines for the 737 variant in conjunction with Cooperativa Autogestionaria de Servicios Aeroindustriales (COOPESA) in Alajuela, Costa Rica.
Both lines should be operational next year and will add to three existing passenger-to-freighter conversion outlets: Boeing Shanghai Aviation Services (BSAS) in Shanghai, China; Guangzhou Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Company Limited (GAMECO) in Guangzhou, China; and Taikoo (Shandong) Aircraft Engineering Co. Ltd. (STAECO) in Jinan, China. Boeing has estimated there will be demand for 1,500 freighter conversions over the next two decades, with nearly one-third of that demand coming from North America and Latin America. As of this month, there have been over 180 orders and commitments from 15 customers on four continents for the 737-800BCF. In March, Boeing re-delivered the 50th 737-800BCF since entering into service in 2018.
