Azerbaijan-based Silk Way West Airlines has taken delivery of its third B747-8F (with two more on order) with the carrier saying it will use the new freighter to launch services to Singapore (SIN) and Komatsu (KMQ) in Japan.

Komatsu is a major manufacturing centre for construction equipment and woven fabric, including carbon fibre used in an increasing number of industries like automotive and aerospace. Luxembourg based Cargolux also operates into Komatsu with B747-400Fs.

Silk Way West’s second B747-8F was used to open a new direct service to New York JFK, in May and during an interview with Payload Asia that same month Nidjat Babayev, VP global sales, Europe and Asia for Silk Way West Airlines said a second delivery in August would see Singapore and Japan added, followed by Hanoi with the fourth delivery in the Spring of 2016.

“Of course as all the big carriers we have to be present in all continents,” Babayev said at the time. “In the beginning we started Europe-Asia because we are in the middle of Europe and Asia and now we will expand.” The next destination on the radar he said, is Africa.