The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and Etihad Airways will be jointly trialling a calculation tool for carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions that has been specially developed for cargo flights. IATA is the representative body for the global airline industry, and the IATA CO₂ Connect, which calculates CO₂ emissions for passenger flights, has been successfully used since June. The association describes it as the most accurate such calculator on the market.

“Aviation will achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050,” affirmed IATA senior VP for commercial products and services Frederic Leger. “And our customers – travellers and shippers – need accurate information on the emissions related to their activities to manage their own commitments and reporting obligations. For all these purposes, accurate data is critical. IATA CO₂ Connect already provides this for passenger operations. This trial with Etihad will help us in bringing an industry-leading carbon calculator for cargo in the coming months.”

Working out the carbon footprint of cargo shipments is more complex than doing so for passenger flights, IATA pointed out. Air cargo routing can be unpredictable, at the time of booking the shipment. And such routing often includes ground-transport segments. Further, when on aircraft, cargo could be carried by a dedicated freighter aircraft or in the belly holds of passenger airliners.

To be able to match the accuracy of the passenger version of IATA CO₂ Connect, it is imperative that real-world data on fuel burn, load factors and other crucial variables be collected. It is to this end that IATA will be working with Etihad Cargo, tracking cargo shipment data during a three-month trial. The airline will share its flight data and will be giving advice on use cases. The highest levels of consistency, accuracy and transparency will be maintained.

“The airline’s development with IATA demonstrates the ability and willingness to co-create solutions to support Etihad Cargo’s journey to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and demonstrates the carrier’s agility in adopting state-of-the-art technology and digital solutions,” highlighted Etihad Aviation Group senior VP global sales & cargo Martin Drew. “IATA’s CO₂ Connect carbon calculator will be an effective tool in making the transportation of cargo more sustainable and will benefit not only Etihad Cargo’s customers but also the wider air cargo sector in the future.”

The objective is for IATA to be able to launch its CO₂ Connect for Cargo by the middle of next year.