LATAM Cargo has taken delivery of its first 767-300 Boeing Converted Freighter.

The carrier signed a contract with Boeing about a year ago for the conversion of three 767-300ER passenger aircraft to freighters. LATAM Cargo will receive the second freighter in 2019 and the third one in 2020, after which the fleet will consist of a total of 12 767 freighters.

“This new addition to our fleet strengthens our presence in Latin America by reinforcing our cargo operation and supplementing our passenger network,” said Andrés Bianchi, CEO of LATAM Cargo. “This aircraft, together with the other two B767BCF that will be delivered over the next two years, clearly attests to LATAM’s commitment to the region’s cargo markets.”

The converted aircraft will initially be deployed on routes in South and Central America, as well as trans-Atlantic flights to Europe.

As part of the company’s new strategy announced in April 2018, LATAM is migrating toward a uniform 767F fleet and has removed its last two 777Fs from service, giving the carrier greater flexibility and allowing it to better adjust schedules based on seasonal fluctuations in South American cargo markets.

LATAM Cargo launched six freighter routes in 2018, consisting of Miami-Brussels, Brussels-Montevideo, Amsterdam-Madrid, Madrid-Guarulhos-Santiago, Miami-Antofagasta-Santiago and Bogota-Huntsville.