Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) will be trialing a carbon dioxide emissions calculation tool specifically developed for cargo flights.
During the three-month pilot, Etihad Cargo will be sharing with IATA data from flights and advising on various use cases.
“The airline’s development with IATA demonstrates the ability and willingness to co-create solutions to support Etihad Cargo’s journey to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and demonstrates the carrier’s agility in adopting state-of-the-art technology and digital solutions,” said Martin Drew, Senior Vice President Global Sales & Cargo at Etihad Aviation Group.
IATA has been successfully providing IATA CO2 Connect for passenger flights since June this year, with actual fuel burn data of 57 aircraft types representing around 98 per cent of the active global passenger fleet.
By mid-2023, IATA aims to launch CO2 Connect for Cargo, providing the industry with precise and consistent methodologies for both passenger and cargo operations.
“IATA’s CO2 Connect carbon calculator will be an effective tool in making the transportation of cargo more sustainable and will benefit not only Etihad Cargo’s customers but also the wider air cargo sector in the future,” Drew said.
“Aviation will achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. And our customers — travelers and shippers — need accurate information on the emissions related to their activities to manage their own commitments and reporting obligations. For all these purposes, accurate data is critical. This trial with Etihad will help us in bringing an industry-leading carbon calculator for cargo in the coming months,” said Frederic Leger, IATA’s Senior Vice President for Commercial Products & Services.
