Boeing and Etihad airways have signed a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) to expand the companies’ “deep collaboration towards environmental goals”.

Centred on Etihad’s 787 Dreamliner fleet, the agreement will focus on enhancing the efficiency of navigation and flight operations, airframe technologies and sustainable practices to reduce the airline’s fuel use and emissions, the companies said.

“Sustainability is a core principle at Etihad, and we believe our continued collaboration with Boeing will drive further innovation in this critical area for the airline and our industry,” said Etihad Aviation Group’s group chief executive Tony Douglas. “With the highly efficient 787 Dreamliner in our fleet, Etihad has considerably reduced its overall carbon emissions, and our expanded sustainability alliance with Boeing will drive further innovations.”

Boeing will provide charting and ‘Electronic Flight Bag’ navigation tools that provide pilots with real-time advisories to adjust course, altitude and speed to optimise fuel use and routing.

The companies said they will also collaborate on ways to reduce emissions at Etihad’s facilities, further the use of sustainable aviation fuels and increase sustainable financing.

“Partnership is critically important to decarbonize our industry, and we are honoured to work side-by-side with Etihad to advance sustainable aviation,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes’ president and chief executive officer Stan Deal. “Our flight test programmes and other joint efforts have clearly demonstrated the value of collaboration by our companies and our industry.”