Airbus Plans to Replace Transatlantic Shipping Fleet with Environmentally Friendly Ships

Airbus has announced plans to replace its fleet of transatlantic ships with lower-emission vessels by 2030. The new fleet is expected to generate 50% fewer CO2 emissions compared to 2023. The entire fleet of chartered vessels used by Airbus to transport aircraft subassemblies between production facilities in Europe and the United States will be replaced with three modern, low-emission roll-on/roll-off vessels powered by wind-assisted propulsion. Shipowner Louis Dreyfus Armateurs has been commissioned to build, own, and operate the new vessels, which will be operational from 2026. The fleet renewal is projected to reduce average annual transatlantic CO2 emissions from 68,000 to 33,000 tonnes by 2030, aligning with Airbus’ commitment to reduce its overall industrial emissions by up to 63% by the end of the decade.

The new vessels will be powered by a combination of six Flettner rotors and dual-fuel engines running on maritime diesel oil and e-methanol. Routing software will optimize the vessels’ journey, maximizing wind propulsion and avoiding adverse ocean conditions. The fleet renewal not only contributes to Airbus’ environmental goals but also supports its ambition to increase A320 family production rate to 75 aircraft per month by 2026. Each new transatlantic vessel will have the capacity to transport around seventy 40-foot containers and six single-aisle aircraft subassembly sets.

Airbus sees the marine fleet renewal as a major step forward in reducing the company’s environmental impact. Nicolas Chrétien, Head of Sustainability & Environment at Airbus, stated that the new vessels demonstrate their determination to lead the way in decarbonizing the sector. Edouard Louis-Dreyfus, President of Louis Dreyfus Armateurs, expressed pride in supporting their customers’ energy transition and offering innovative solutions to drive sustainable change.

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