Air France-KLM-Martinair Cargo will further slash greenhouse gas emissions by utilizing newly introduced lightweight polyester nets produced by AmSafe Bridport together with fibre specialist DSM Dyneema. KLM’s CEO Camiel Eurlings and DSM’s President Atzo Nicolaï comment on the revolutionary new product.

Source: KLM
Camiel Eurlings, CEO of KLM:

Air France-KLM has a strong commitment to reducing its ecological footprint, in the air and on the ground. For the eighth year in
a row, we have come out at the top of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index in the airline sector. Weight reduction on board our aircraft is helping us reduce our footprint, and the new nets, which are considerably lighter than previous types, can lead to important reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Air France-KLM is the first major airline group to introduce lightweight nets with Dyneema^®.

It is important to point out too that the new nets do more than reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Operatives can handle them more easily and safely, and because the nets are more damage-resistant than polyester nets, they require around half as much maintenance. This means we will save time and money.

We worked together with our suppliers who created the fibre and the nets. It is a perfect example of a win-win-win situation in terms of our planet, our people, and our profit.

The three companies collaborated on the development of these nets over a period of several years, and you can see this in the results we have achieved. The pallet nets in Dyneema^® fibre weigh around half as much as normal nets made in polyester fibre. The new nets weigh close to 9 kg.

Just one net will save Air France-KLM-Martinair Cargo over 210 gallons of kerosene fuel per year. That means CO₂ emissions will be over 2.5 tonnes less per net per year. We think that is very impressive. So you can see that the new nets really do make an important contribution to sustainability.

But that saving has not been achieved by sacrificing performance. On the contrary, the nets with Dyneema^® will actually last 60% longer. They are certified for five years.

These nets provide an excellent example of DSM’s use of “bright science to create brighter living,” and our spirit of collaboration with industry partners. As a result of this project, Amsafe Bridport and DSM have both been given the status as preferred suppliers of sustainable air cargo solutions at Air France-KLM-Martinair Cargo. We are very proud that Dyneema^®, with its characteristic very high strength and low weight, has such a great impact on planet, people, and profit.

Authors: Camiel Eurlings / Atzo Nicolaï