Kuehne+Nagel, Natilus partner for blended-wing-body aircraft
Collaboration includes route modelling, emissions accounting, operational cost analysis & engagement with industry.
Kuehne+Nagel and Natilus, an aerospace manufacturer of blended-wing-body aircraft, announced a partnership to study the environmental, economic and operational impact of integrating Natilus’s hyper-efficient blended-wing-body aircraft into commercial air logistics operations.
"Leveraging its knowledge of the air logistics industry, Kuehne+Nagel will collaborate with Natilus to explore the operational feasibility of implementing its aircraft within the industry, focusing on route modelling, environmental impact assessment, operational cost analysis and engagement with the aviation industry," says an official release from Kuehne+Nagel.
The first to commercialise blended-wing-body design, Natilus is developing a family of aircraft designed to unlock improved aviation economics by reducing fuel consumption by 30 percent while increasing payload capability by 40 percent. Together, the companies will assess how blended-wing-body aircraft will operate within existing fleets to improve logistics efficiency, enhance service offerings and reduce carbon emissions in freight forwarding, the release added.
"At Kuehne+Nagel, we have consistently led the way in making air freight logistics more sustainable and this collaboration with Natilus is another example of how we continue to explore new technologies for more environmentally friendly and cost-effective air cargo solutions," says Holger Ketz, SVP, Network and Carrier Management, Air Logistics, Kuehne+Nagel.
Aleksey Matyushev, Co-Founder and CEO, Natilus adds: ​​"Our partnership with Kuehne+Nagel is a meaningful step in helping the industry better understand the powerful advantages of blended-wing-body aircraft and become a blueprint for other logistics companies over the next decade. We look forward to collaborating with Kuehne+Nagel and integrating our family of blended-wing-body aircraft into its world-class global logistics network to redefine efficiency and sustainability in freight."
Kuehne+Nagel and Natilus will partner with select air freight carriers to demonstrate benefits of complementing existing fleets with blended-wing-body aircraft, the release added.
