A recent survey of airlines by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for the World Cargo Symposium in March this year listed lightweight ULDs as their 6th highest priority for capital spending in 2010.
Working in close cooperation with Nordisk’s customers, the company has developed solutions for almost every ULD challenge and need. The company’s latest innovation is the super light Nordisk Ultralite AKE (LD3) container, which offers a weight reduction of around 25 per cent per container, compared to traditional aluminium containers.
Similarly, Integrated Technologies, Inc. (Intec), has also successfully designed, built and FAA-certified a high-durability ProWall ULD LD3, and is now in the process of developing the next generation of lightweight and ultralightweight ProWall ULDs.
“Because of rising fuel costs, fuel savings through reduced weight have become even more important and paves the way for lighter designs,†a company spokesman said.
An old-style aluminum ULD weighs around 93 kilograms. Intec’s original high-durability Prowall ULD weighs 79 kilogrammes and has proved to be tough as an old stove — so tough, that the ULD’s weight can be reduced while still maintaining a healthy margin of durability. The new ULDs weigh 73 kilogrammes for the lightweight model and 61 kilogrammes for the ultralightweight model.
IATA’s ULD focus
Applauding IATA’s decision to pay serious attention to ULD as part of the cargo delivery chain, Rogers says: “Since March, a team of us has been working on a road map for actions to be taken between 2010 and 2012 to move ULD ahead.†Basically this covers issues such as ULD management, which is an underrecognised activity within the air cargo industry, according to Rogers.
Associated risks can generate substantial costs for the industry stakeholders. For example, the Fine Air flight 101 crash on 7 August 1997, which involved a Cargo DC-8-61F en route from Miami to Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic, suffered sudden movement of cargo in the aft cargo hold while taking off.
The aircraft’s nose rose steeply due to the sudden uneven weight distribution caused by shifting boxes of denim material that had not been securely fastened. The pilots attempted to recover but the aircraft stalled and crashed onto a field adjacent to the Miami City Rail Yard less than a mile from the airport.
“Airlines’ direct-spend on ULD repair is estimated at US$150 million to US$200 million a year and as long as ULD handling and opearations are seen as a separate silo activity this issue is likely to continue,†Rogers says. “It will require coordinated efforts from all players in the air cargo industry to achieve the higher standards the industry needs,†he adds.
The ULD, he says, must be designed, repaired and operated in accordance with international regulations and standards and IATA proposes raising awareness to influence a change of airlines’ “attitude†and engaging the right governance of all stakeholders in the supply chain relating to ULDs.
IATA also proposes that an ULD scorecard should be defined to track ULD Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) as well as reviewing all the relevant IATA standards, recommendations, specifications and training related to ULDs.
IATA also advocates efforts to be put into following and influencing legislations by liaising with International Standards and Regulatory Bodies, as well as publicising and communicating the ULD issue at relevant industry events.
The impact of these broad reaching initiatives aimed at getting the ULD higher on the agenda should be significant, says Rogers. “We will be officially, with IATA backing, reaching out to the broader base of cargo terminals, ground handlers, freight forwarders, shippers, airports and aviation authorities to get everyone working on a common theme of assured airworthiness and effective ground handling,†he says.
“The issues here are too great for any one link in the chain to make a difference, but working across all the boundaries we expect to achieve a great deal,†he adds.
On the subject of the continued attention of the aviation safety authorities with regards to absolute compliance with rules and procedures, Rogers points out that the level of scrutiny continues to ratchet upwards and airlines find themselves challenged to meet these requirements.
“Additionally the roll out of the IATA Safety Audit for Ground Operations (ISAGO), already achieved by a number of ground operators in Asia Pacific, supports proper ULD operations, but at the same time presents challenges to organisations looking to achieve the required standards. The IATA initiatives mentioned above will support organisations undertaking ISAGO accreditation,†he says.
Nordisk Aviation Products is based in Norway and with facilities in Europe, Asia and the US, with the company employing 200 people. With more than 500,000 ULDs sold to the global market, Nordisk is used by almost every airline operating wide-bodied aircraft, enabling huge amounts of cargo and baggage to be transported safely and securely.