Aircraft lessor and ACMI operator Atlas Air has taken delivery of a new Boeing 747-8 freighter, which it will operate on behalf of Alibaba logistics arm Cainiao Network under a long-term agreement.

The new widebody freighter, the first of four 747-8Fs that are scheduled to be delivered this year, is expected to increase capacity on routes between China and the Americas, expanding Cainiao’s services into the US, Brazil and Chile.

Atlas reiterated that the investment in these new aircraft underscores its commitment to environmental stewardship through the reduction of aircraft emissions, resource consumption and noise.

The 747-8, the only factory-built freighter with nose-loading capability in production, provides 20 percent higher payload capacity and 16 percent lower fuel consumption than the much older variant, the 747-400F.

In a bid to enhance its position in e-commerce logistics, Cainiao has been expanding its services to the Americas since last year, operating daily chartered flights linking China to the region since last year, in partnership with Atlas Air.