World air cargo carriers will need nearly 850 large capacity freighter aircraft by the year 2015 to meet growing demand.

World Air Cargo Forecast
The numbers are changing rapidly. The air cargo market is projected to grow at least 6.6% annually through the turn of the century.
In the year 2015, air cargo carriers will fly more than 375 billion revenue tonne kilometers (RTK) annually - more than three times the amount flown today.
Air cargo shipping is increasing because:

• The fluctuating U.S. dollar has increased the demand for U.S. goods overseas.
  
• Labor costs, and interest rates remain low, as fuel prices vary.
  
• Businesses worldwide have seen the need for express cargo shipping.
  

747 operators and owners have a unique revenue opportunity. By converting their passenger airplanes into freighters, operators and owners can enter this growing air cargo market. The Boeing 747 Special Freighter Conversion program is the most cost-effective way to meet this demand.