STARLUX Airlines of Taiwan placed a firm order for five all-new A350F freighters and three more A330neo wide-body aircraft.

The agreement was signed at the Singapore Airshow by Starlux Airlines Chairman Chang Kuo-wei and Airbus Commercial Aircraft Business Chief Executive Officer Christian Scherer.

"Starlux Airlines has continuously nurtured the cargo market since its inception, [capitalizing] on the strategic advantages offered by Taiwan's geographical location," Starlux Airlines Chief Executive Officer Glenn Chai said.

"With this order, Starlux will become the first Taiwanese airline to operate the next-generation A350F wide-body freighter. In an era of climate change, the A350F has unbeatable efficiency in terms of fuel burn, CO2 (carbon dioxide) emissions and economics, offering significant energy saving and carbon reduction benefits. It not only meets customer requirements for carbon reduction, but also aligns with Starlux's ESG (environmental, social and governance) plan to achieve zero emissions by 2050. Additionally, the three new A330neos will strengthen our fleet advantage and provide greater flexibility for passenger operations," Chai added.

Starlux Airlines operateed an all-Airbus passenger fleet that already included the A350-900, A330neo and A321neo. The A350F would be operated by Starlux Cargo on some of the world's busiest cargo routes.

"We love working with Starlux Airlines in building and strengthening its fleet," Airbus Commercial Aircraft Sales Executive Vice President Benoît de Saint-Exupéry said.