Boeing believes 2011 could be one of its strongest years in terms of orders for the 777 freighter.

Speaking today at the Deutsche Bank Aviation Conference in New York, Boeing Commercial Airplanes vice-president business development and strategic integration Nicole Piasecki said that despite "a little bit of slowdown" in freighter traffic, the 777F is heading for "one of its best order years ever".

With 110 net orders for 777 aircraft in 2011, Piasecki said pent up demand for widebody aircraft is being driven by both growth in emerging markets and the impact of delays to its smaller 787, which will enter service with All Nippon Airways in October.

Piasecki said Boeing has received 25 orders for the 777F from Asian, European and US customers in 2011.

She added that while passenger traffic, yield and load factor figures have remained strong, Boeing is seeing "additional capacity in the marketplace" as a result of macroeconomic concerns.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news