Lufthansa Cargo’s Boeing 777 Freighter, registration ALFA, took off for the first time at 05:07 (CET) on February 3, 2023, becoming the world’s first freighter to feature CO2 efficient AeroSHARK drag-reducing film technology.
On Thursday (February 3, 2023), Lufthansa Cargo announced that their first AeroSHARK modified Boeing 777 Freighter, registration D-ALFA, took off for the first time today at 05:07 (CET). The inaugural AeroSHARK freighter departed Frankfurt (FRA) under flight number LH8410 and was headed for Bengaluru (BLR), before flying on to Chengdu (CTU). The innovative surface technology from Lufthansa Technik and BASF reduces drag, thereby improving fuel efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions. AeroSHARK is a surface film that mimics the microscopic structure of sharkskin with riblets of around 50 micrometers in size.
In Friday’s announcement, Lufthansa Cargo’s Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO, Dorothea von Boxberg, said,
"We are proud to be able to operate our entire freighter fleet even more efficiently in the future thanks to Sharkskin technology and to further reduce the carbon footprint of our modern fleet. Our investments for the introduction of AeroSHARK bring us closer to our goal of being 100 percent CO2-neutral in the air by 2050; on the ground, we would like to achieve this goal as early as 2030.”
With the flow pattern on the fuselage and engine nacelles of the Boeing 777F optimized, Lufthansa Technik expects fuel savings of slightly over one percent. When extrapolated across Lufthansa Cargo’s entire fleet, this will result in annual savings of over 4,000 metric tons of kerosene and nearly 13,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions, equivalent to approximately 53 individual cargo flights from Frankfurt to Shanghai. In cooperation with BASF, Lufthansa Technik is responsible for the specification of the material, the airworthiness certification, and aircraft modifications, which are carried out during regularly scheduled maintenance periods. Last December, the carrier obtained a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for two types of Boeing 777s from EASA, paving the way for the serial application of AeroSHARK, which is now underway across Lufthansa Cargo’s entire 777F fleet.
With revenue of €3.8 billion and 7.2 billion freight ton kilometers in 2021, Lufthansa Cargo is one of the world’s leading air freight companies, employing approximately 4,200 team members worldwide. The cargo carrier serves around 300 destinations in over 100 countries with a dedicated fleet of freighters, as well as belly-hold cargo capacity of passenger aircraft operated by Lufthansa German Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings Discover and SunExpress. In 2021, the company reached important milestones such as a fleet modernization to an all Boeing 777F widebody fleet, and the introduction of CO2 neutral freight transport for all customers. In 2022, the airline will equip their fleet of dedicated freighters with Sharkskin technology to reduce drag, and expand their SAF program to further reduce CO2 emissions. The company also operates an extensive road feeder service network. Lufthansa Cargo is a wholly owned subsidiary of Deutsche Lufthansa AG and is the Group’s logistics specialist.
Source: Lufthansa Cargo