Photo taken by Atlas Air 747 First Officer Brian Ruby.
Each year, Earth Day is observed on April 22 to celebrate the achievements of the environmental movement and raise awareness for environmental protection. The theme for Earth Day 2023 is “Invest in Our Planet.”
For Atlas, Earth Day is not just one day, it’s a 365-day commitment. We are continuously striving to lower our aircraft emissions and improve our fuel efficiency in an effort to address climate change and promote a cleaner environment.
In honor of Earth Day, we’re reflecting on the actions we are taking to reduce our impact in the regions and communities where our business takes us.
Fleet Upgrades
In 2022, we initiated the integration of four new 747-8F and four new 777-200F, both of which will enable us to optimize resource consumption. The 747-8F offers 20% higher payload capacity and 16% lower fuel consumption than previous 747 models, while meeting or exceeding the strictest ICAO (United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization) emissions standards. It also reduces noise by approximately 30% compared with the previous generation of aircraft.
Improved Fuel Management
FuelPlus is our fuel administration and management software that enables us to better track global fuel purchases with the goal of enhancing our own system. We continue to enhance our fuel management processes, including the procurement of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), to drive efficiency in our operations and for our customers.
Hybrid and Electric Vehicles Investments
Currently, 13% of our vehicle fleet is comprised of hybrid and electric vehicles, with plans to increase this percentage to approximately 50% by 2030.
Additionally, we are transitioning other equipment, including forklifts, to hybrid and electric options where possible. 20% of our equipment is hybrid or electric, and we are exploring opportunities to increase that percentage as part of our efforts to replace older equipment with more modern alternatives. Our Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky and Los Angeles teams exclusively use electric forklifts to reduce carbon emissions in our ground operations.
Understanding where and how we can reduce our environmental impact is a priority embraced across our organization. From industry-leading fuel efficiency innovations to modernizing our fleet, Atlas will drive improvements for the planet we all share.
To learn more about our commitment to safeguarding the environment, check out our most recent ESG report here.
