Lufthansa Cargo has today announced that their fourth freighter featuring CO2-efficient AeroSHARK technology, a Boeing 777F, returned to service on October 13th. By 2027, all of the carrier's 777 Freighters will be coated with the fuel-saving AeroSHARK film.
On Tuesday (October 17, 2023), Lufthansa Cargo announced the deployment of their fourth freighter featuring CO2-efficient AeroSHARK technology, a Boeing 777F, which returned to service on Friday, October 13th. This is the fourth aircraft equipped by Lufthansa Technik with the technology since February of this year. AeroSHARK is a functional surface film that imitates the microscopic structure of shark skin, thereby reducing aerodynamic drag, resulting in a reduction in fuel use and emissions.
In Tuesday’s announcement, Lufthansa Cargo’s CEO, Ashwin Bhat, said,
“The special coating significantly reduces the frictional resistance of the aircraft. Together with the lightweight cargo equipment we already use today, this technology will enable us to save 5,493 tons of kerosene per year. This is an important step on our way to becoming 100 percent CO2-neutral in the air by 2050.”
Developed in partnership with BASF, the AeroSHARK technology will be successively applied to Lufthansa Cargo’s entire fleet of Boeing 777 Freighters by 2027, delivering expected fuel savings of approximately one percent. When calculated across the carrier’s 777F fleet, the technology will save nearly 13,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually.
With revenue of €4.6 billion and 7.2 billion freight ton kilometers in 2022, Lufthansa Cargo is one of the world’s leading air freight companies, employing approximately 4,100 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. The airline is currently equipping their fleet of dedicated 777 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