DHL Express is ramping up its use of electric ground-handling vehicles at Brussels Airport as part of efforts to reduce its emissions output.
The investment means that one in three tractors and loaders used by dhl Express at the Belgian hub are now fully electric, according to London's Air Cargo News.
In total, DHL has put 11 electric tractors, which can tow up to four cargo containers, and 13 electric container lifts, belly loaders and pushbacks into operation at Brussels Airport.
The company's crew buses and tarmac cars are already powered by electricity.
Over time, DHL Express aims to develop a fully electric ground fleet at the airport, reports London's Air Cargo News.
DHL Aviation chief executive Kirsten Carlier said: 'Electrifying a third of the ground equipment in just a few weeks - that's quite a feat by our technical department. A heavy electric tractor or a high loader for an aeroplane are not exactly the kind of vehicles you take along to the garage.
'All the maintenance and training are carried out by DHL employees, now including that of the new electric tractors and chargers. From now on, we will continue to expand our electric ground fleet in phases; the fossil fuel machines will be systematically phased out and will soon be a minority.'
She added that large electric cargo aircraft are a long way off.
'According to the current planning, DHL will put twelve e-cargo air freight planes into service in 2027. Who knows, maybe these electric planes may soon be flying at Brussels Airport too.'
The company has been supported in the investments by the Stargate project, a Brussels Airport project with a consortium of 21 partners, which has been awarded subsidies under the European Green Deal to develop projects for greener aviation.
Emissions from ground-handling equipment account for 55 per cent of the total CO2 footprint of DHL Express ground operations at the airport. Full electrification therefore means halving their CO2 emissions.
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The investment means that one in three tractors and loaders used by dhl Express at the Belgian hub are now fully electric, according to London's Air Cargo News.
In total, DHL has put 11 electric tractors, which can tow up to four cargo containers, and 13 electric container lifts, belly loaders and pushbacks into operation at Brussels Airport.
The company's crew buses and tarmac cars are already powered by electricity.
Over time, DHL Express aims to develop a fully electric ground fleet at the airport, reports London's Air Cargo News.
DHL Aviation chief executive Kirsten Carlier said: 'Electrifying a third of the ground equipment in just a few weeks - that's quite a feat by our technical department. A heavy electric tractor or a high loader for an aeroplane are not exactly the kind of vehicles you take along to the garage.
'All the maintenance and training are carried out by DHL employees, now including that of the new electric tractors and chargers. From now on, we will continue to expand our electric ground fleet in phases; the fossil fuel machines will be systematically phased out and will soon be a minority.'
She added that large electric cargo aircraft are a long way off.
'According to the current planning, DHL will put twelve e-cargo air freight planes into service in 2027. Who knows, maybe these electric planes may soon be flying at Brussels Airport too.'
The company has been supported in the investments by the Stargate project, a Brussels Airport project with a consortium of 21 partners, which has been awarded subsidies under the European Green Deal to develop projects for greener aviation.
Emissions from ground-handling equipment account for 55 per cent of the total CO2 footprint of DHL Express ground operations at the airport. Full electrification therefore means halving their CO2 emissions.
SeaNews Turkey
