Sustainability is now one of the key attributes the aviation industry must achieve. For Air Cargo Management, Bernie Baldwin learns how air cargo organisations are striving to make it succeed.

Beyond aviation’s one absolute – safety – it’s fair to say that, up until recently, every other topic within the industry has elements of nuance. Things are changing though, as no matter where you are in the world, every aviation event nowadays has sustainability on the agenda.

The air cargo arena is not immune to this shift. In fact, it has been intrinsic to the business for some time as Brendan Sullivan, global head of cargo for IATA (International Air Transport Association) noted earlier this year at the 16th World Cargo Symposium.

In his speech to delegates, Sullivan said: “Air cargo is a different industry than the one that entered the pandemic. Revenues are greater than they were pre-pandemic. Yields are higher. The world learned how critical supply chains are. And the contribution of air cargo to the bottom line of airlines is more evident than ever. Yet, we are still linked to the business cycle and global events.

“So, the war in Ukraine, uncertainty over where critical economic factors like interest rates, exchange rates and jobs growth are concerns that are real to the industry today. As we navigate the current situation, air cargo’s priorities have not changed, we need to continue to focus on sustainability, digitalisation and safety.”

In fact, in a press release from the event, IATA summed up the topic’s importance with an excellent phrase: “Sustainability is a critical priority and the aviation industry’s licence to do business.”

Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is obviously high on the list of initiatives, but that is a story in itself and not dealt with here. However, also coming out of the World Cargo Symposium were three other sustainability areas where IATA is working. These involve:

• Supporting effective carbon calculations and offsetting through the development of accurate and standardised emissions calculation methodology and the launch of CO² Connect for Cargo – a tool to calculate emissions from operations
• Expanding the IATA Environmental Assessment (IEnvA) to airports, cargo handling facilities, freight forwarders and ramp handlers to allow the industry to drive commercial success, build trust in sustainability actions and positively impact the industry
• Developing environmental, social and governance (ESG) related metrics to cut through the many methodologies in circulation with ESG Metrics Guidance for Airlines.

Operational initiatives for sustainability are being developed and implemented for the various stages of an air cargo service such as: booking; preparation of the shipment before pick-up including ‘green’ packaging; accepting the physical shipment; loading/unloading; design and materials for cargo containers; and delivery to the final recipient. Guillaume Crozier is senior vice-president of UAE cargo and global cargo strategy for dnata, the Dubai-based company dealing with ground handling, cargo, catering and travel. Within his remit in the cargo business, he presents observations on some of the operational initiatives noted above, beginning with booking and documentation.

Crozier says: “dnata Cargo implements an Appointment and Dock Management System (ADMS) to alleviate the time wasted by drivers waiting in queues to enter the premises for a pickup or drop-off. However, more importantly, it has helped reduce idling times exponentially and thus fuel burn as a direct result.

“In addition, it has aided in the reduction of paper by digitising various steps within the process to allow for appointment booking and seamless entry and exit. We pride ourselves on investments in technology that enhance the customer experience, while also reducing our environmental footprint.”

In the preparation of a shipment before pick-up, dnata Cargo has recently introduced a new service to support customers in packaging their shipments with a focus on ‘waste-not’. Crozier says: “The service is provided by dnata’s professional staff, who accurately measure the minimum required amount of packaging to ensure airworthiness of the shipment. The dnata team furthermore implements the ‘3Rs’ throughout the process, by firstly reducing the amount of packaging required, reusing as much of the plastic material as possible for packaging, and then recycling. We have a unit on site that compresses plastic sheets which are then collected by a vendor for reprocessing into plastic granules that are used in the construction industry.”

Crozier adds that the company only uses biodegradable plastic materials for its packaging, while wooden materials that are received from import shipments are stored and reused for packaging services.

When it comes to accepting a physical shipment for export flights, these are handed over by customers to dnata. “During the acceptance process, the shipments are screened by [the appropriate regulatory] authorities, for which single use stretch wrap plastic sheet is used to secure the shipments going through the X-ray machines,” he explains.

“As part of our commitment to environmental sustainability, we are trialling reusable pallet wraps, covers and nets made from recycled materials to eliminate the usage of plastic stretch wraps. The reusable materials are being tested and trialled in our operations with recommendations and modifications being shared with trial partners.”

Crozier then goes on to the loading and unloading process: “dnata Cargo performs ULD build-up for airlines, by loading shipments onto ULDs as per the export load plans received. To secure the shipments onto the ULD, polythene sheets are used to cover and protect the cargo. dnata uses biodegradable plastics for ULD build-up, ensuring the plastics material transported to different parts of the world does not affect the environment in that country.

“We receive ULDs from import flights which are dismantled in our warehouse and shipments are arranged for delivery to customers. During the breakdown process, we receive various types of recyclable materials such as plastic, wood, cardboard, cartons, thermal blankets and lashing materials. The materials are segregated as per the conditions and are first reused within our operations, or arranged for recycling, ensuring such materials are diverted from landfill as general waste.”

One type of artefact which is dealt with under the last of the ‘3Rs’ is one which might not initially come to mind when thinking of cargo sustainability. Crozier says: “We receive a good number of kennels used for transporting live animals from our special products handling division. Any kennels left behind by customers are sanitised and stored in the facility. They are then donated to animal shelters in the region as part of dnata’s commitment to animal welfare initiatives.

“Finally, as part of our commitment to reduce our usage of fossil fuels, all forklift equipment used for loading and unloading shipments in dnata warehouses is electrically operated machinery.”

Zurich-based Unilode Aviation Solutions offers the industry a huge outsourced fleet of ULDs and claims the largest global network for the MRO of containers, pallets and inflight food service equipment. Picking up on the aforementioned list of operational initiatives for sustainability, the company’s chief QHS (quality, health and safety) and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) officer Steve Williams addresses the points relating to delivery to the final recipient and the design and materials for cargo containers.

Williams says: “The reduction of our CO2 footprint is crucial to Unilode. All aspects of our ULD solutions, including upstream and downstream impact to CO2 management, are priority issues for us. However, in the context of ‘last mile’ CO2 emissions reduction, we are embarking on more efficient route management, that being maximising load – hence reducing trips – and also selecting the most effective route to minimise fuel burn. Most importantly, we are embarking on a fleet electrification (vehicles and FLT) programme which is already well under way. We aim to have 90 per cent of our FLT electrified by 2027.”

When it comes to the materials for, and the design of, containers, Williams picks out three parameters that need to be considered. He says: “Weight (lighter), space (more compact) and sustainable (reusable/recyclable) materials are all contributors to a sustainable circular economy.

“Replacing [the current] ULDs with lightweight aluminium ULDs has a direct impact on our customers’ fuel burn and in turn fewer CO2 emissions per kilometre flown. Combined with the use of sustainable materials at the manufacturing stage means a longer lifecycle for the product, which reduces the need for manufactured volume, another positive CO2 impact.”

The need for the air cargo industry to operate sustainably, and thus be there when needed, is summed up by IATA’s Brendan Sullivan. In his message to the 16th World Cargo Symposium, he said: “Air cargo is a critically important industry. It helps build a better future for the people of the world. It’s an industry that saves lives, delivering aid and relief to those in need. The industry mobilised to support those affected by the earthquakes. Working together to ensure that air cargo remains a reliable and efficient means of providing support to those in need, while simultaneously strengthening global supply chains and contributing to the sustainable development of our economies, is essential.”

His message underlines the point made earlier. Safety is, and will always be, paramount. But sustainability has now clearly joined it as one of aviation’s absolutes, particularly in air cargo.

This feature was first published in Air Cargo Management – November/December 2023. To read the magazine in full, click here.