SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- U.S. aeroplane manufacturer Boeing Company said Friday that its new 737 MAX-9 aircraft has been certified by the Federal Aviation Administration for commercial service.

Boeing said in a statement that the amended type certificate issued by the U.S. aviation regulator affirms that the airplane's handling, systems and overall performance all comply with required aviation regulations.

"This certification marks the culmination of a successful flight test program that began in March 2017," it said.

Boeing said the new airplane "is being prepped for delivery in the coming weeks," which means the Chicago-based company is in final stages of preparing the MAX-9 for its first delivery to launch customer Lion Air Group, an Indonesian carrier.

The 737 MAX-9 is designed for a capacity of up to 220 passengers, with a maximum range of 3,550 nautical miles (about 6,575 km).

The 737 MAX model is the fastest-selling airplane in Boeing history, accumulating more than 4,300 orders from 93 customers worldwide.