In October 2023, Louis Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA) was selected by Airbus to renew its entire fleet of chartered vessels that transport aircraft subassemblies between production facilities in Europe and the United States.

Airbus commissioned LDA to build, own and operate these new highly efficient vessels that will enter service from 2026.

Each new transatlantic vessel will have the capacity to transport around 70 40-foot containers and six single-aisle aircraft subassembly sets - wings, fuselage, engine pylons, and horizontal and vertical tail planes - compared to three to four sets with current cargo ships.

The new fleet is expected to reduce average annual transatlantic CO2 emissions from 68,000 to 33,000 tonnes by 2030. This will contribute to Airbus’ commitment to reduce its overall industrial emissions by up to 63% by the end of the decade, compared to 2015 as baseline year – in line with the 1.5°C pathway of the Paris Agreement.

The chartered vessels that transport Airbus’ aircraft subassemblies across the Atlantic between Saint-Nazaire, France, and its single-aisle aircraft final assembly line in Mobile, Alabama, will be gradually renewed.

The new vessels will be powered by a combination of six Flettner rotors - large, rotating cylinders that generate lift thanks to the wind, propelling the ship forward - and two dual-fuel engines running on maritime diesel oil and e-methanol. Additionally, routing software will optimize the vessels’ journey across the Atlantic, maximising wind propulsion and avoiding drag caused by adverse ocean conditions.

The fleet renewal supports Airbus ambition to increase the A320 family production rate to 75 aircrafts per month by 2026.

© Shippax