Airlines Around the World See Savings in Emissions, Fuel Consumption, thanks to Nordisk Cargo Containers.

Nordisk Aviation Products, a Teleflex Aerospace company, is helping airlines around the world reduce both harmful environmental emissions and fuel consumption through the company’s lightweight cargo containers. Nordisk projects that innovative lightweight air cargo containers, or ULDs (unit load devices), can help customers reduce annual carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by up to 438 million tons and can save as much as $117 million USD in fuel expenses in a year.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA), the global trade organization for the air transport industry, advises that every kilogram of weight saved reduces fuel consumption by an average of four percent of the weight carried per flying hour. The current fleet of widebody, containerized, aircraft comprises about 3,100 passenger planes and 1,000 freighter aircraft. With a typical passenger plane carrying ULDs weighing about two tons, based on traditional designs, and a cargo aircraft carrying more than four tons of ULDs, the global potential for weight savings is significant. For example, if an aircraft reduces its weight by 100 kg., it will save four kgs of fuel in each flying hour. IATA figures also show that every kilogram of fuel saved reduces CO2 emissions by 3 to 3.3 kg. Such reductions can help save thousands of kgs of greenhouse gases per aircraft each year.

Nordisk’s estimates are based on the 35,000 lightweight cargo container units that are on order or have been delivered to more than 35 airlines. Assuming a conservative average reduction of 15 kg of tare weight per container, the company estimates that, to date, current customers are saving annually more than 29 million kg of fuel and reducing CO2 emissions by nearly 88 million kg. Additionally, these customers are estimated to have reduced their fuel expenses more than $23 million USD in a year. (While current fuel costs are changing daily, the figures shown here are based on an average fuel cost of $800 USD per metric ton.)

Nordisk estimates that if every airline around the world takes advantage of these lightweight container technologies, they could save more than 400,000 tons of CO2 annually in addition to $120 million USD in fuel costs each year, based on fuel at US$ 0.80 per kg.

“Nordisk's lightweight containers reduce fuel consumption and the emission of green house gases," notes John Suddarth, president of Teleflex Aerospace, the parent company of Nordisk Aviation Products. “Airlines are very eager to reduce the impact of aviation on the environment. Also, fuel comprises the biggest single cost to airlines. We¹re pleased that Nordisk’s ULDs can help in both of these areas.”