GERMANY's Lufthansa Cargo is facing challenges with its fleet due to delays in the delivery of new freighters, senior director of business development Heike Woerner said during a company webinar.

The airline expects to add the first of seven B777-8Fs on order in 2028, a year later than initially planned, reports Switzerland's ch-aviation.

As quoted by Air Cargo News, Ms Woerner noted that the production of new freighters is encountering problems because of supply chain issues.

The global cargo fleet continues to age, with 30 per cent of aircraft being over 30 years old. Meanwhile, widebody belly capacity is still 19 per cent lower than in 2019.

The carrier anticipates challenges due to geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainties. Looming US tariffs, EU regulatory changes around the e-commerce business, and the closure of Russia's airspace are of particular concern for Lufthansa Cargo.

Despite the industry's problems, the airline still sees opportunities in emerging markets.

According to Ms Woerner, Lufthansa Cargo is seeking to capture freight demand in India, Viet Nam, and other Asian countries experiencing strong economic development. On the other hand, it is seeing "stagnating growth rates" in Germany and Europe.

She believes the air cargo business will continue to grow in 2025 thanks to increased demand for e-commerce products, semi-conductors, and pharmaceutical goods.