Lufthansa Cargo switches to lightweight ULDs

Lufthansa Cargo has completed its switchover to an all-lightweight LD3 container fleet, with a weight saving of 14 kg per container.

Lufthansa Cargo says it carries out close to 500,000 container movements per year, and the switch to the new lightweight LD3s will cut its annual fuel consumption by 2,000 tonnes, and reduce CO₂ emissions by 7,000 tonnes.

In other Lufthansa Cargo news, the carrier retired an MD-11F (48414). The freighter has been ferried to Tulsa International (TUL) to be parted out. The retirement, which reduced Lufthansa’s MD-11F fleet to sixteen units, was not unexpected, as the carrier has now taken delivery of three of the five 777Fs it has on order. In fact, Lufthansa had already parked this freighter in January, but then returned it to temporary service a month later.

Regarding the broader question of Lufthansa’s long-term freighter fleet plans, the carrier has said for some time that it intended to keep a sixteen-unit MD-11Fs fleet, even as it added five 777Fs. Earlier this year, there was speculation that Lufthansa might want more 777Fs. But given the upcoming announcement of a strategic cargo partnership with All Nippon Airways and the likelihood of at least one more such partnership to follow, Cargo Facts believes that Lufthansa will re-examine its commitment to the MD-11Fs.