Airbus is set to revolutionise its chartered vessel fleet responsible for transatlantic ferrying of aircraft subassemblies between production facilities in Europe and the United States. The company’s ambitious plan includes replacing the current fleet with three state-of-the-art, low-emission, roll-on/roll-off vessels, featuring wind-assisted propulsion.
Airbus has commissioned shipowner Louis Dreyfus Armateurs to build, own and operate these new, highly efficient vessels that will enter into service from 2026.
This innovative fleet renewal project aims to significantly decrease average annual transatlantic CO2 emissions, reducing them from 68,000 to 33,000 tonnes by 2030. This substantial reduction aligns with Airbus’ overarching commitment to cut its industrial emissions by up to 63% by the end of the decade, using 2015 as the baseline year, in accordance with the 1.5°C pathway of the Paris Agreement.
The transition will see Airbus gradually replacing its chartered vessels responsible for transporting aircraft subassemblies between Saint-Nazaire, France, and its single-aisle aircraft final assembly line located in Mobile, Alabama, US.
These new vessels will utilise a unique power system, incorporating six Flettner rotors, which are large, rotating cylinders generating lift from the wind to propel the ships, alongside two dual-fuel engines running on maritime diesel oil and e-methanol. Furthermore, advanced routing software will optimise the vessels’ transatlantic journeys, capitalising on wind propulsion while avoiding the effects of adverse ocean conditions.
This renewal of the fleet not only represents a greener approach but also supports Airbus in achieving its goal of increasing the A320 family production rate to 75 aircraft per month by 2026. Each of the new transatlantic vessels will boast the capacity to transport around seventy 40-foot containers and six sets of single-aisle aircraft subassemblies, including wings, fuselage, engine pylons, horizontal and vertical tail planes, a significant improvement from the current cargo ships, which can transport only three to four sets.
