Nippon Cargo Airlines (NCA, Headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Tadamasa Ishida) is adopting ultra-light cargo pallet nets made of a new material named Dyneema. The ultra-strong polyethylene textile nets are made by AmSafe Bridport, U.K. and NCA will be the first Japanese cargo airline to use the product.

At just 7.8 kg, Dyneema nets are extremely light in comparison with conventional nets produced by the company, which weigh 18 kg, a reduction of 10.2 kg per net. If we used the new net for all 39 pallets aboard a Boeing 747-400 (B747-400F), the total weight reduction would be 400 kg, which translates to a saving of up to 370 drum cans of fuel per year. With the improved strength, the service life of the new net will also be prolonged from three to five years. Furthermore, since the material is water resistant, there will be no increase in weight due to the absorption of rain. Dyneema nets have a number of positives, including reducing the burden on the environment.

NCA is also cooperating with Norwegian ULD manufacturer Nordisk Aviation Products by experimentally using lightweight pallets, a product that is currently under development. Each pallet is 9 kg lighter than a conventional pallet. If this product is put to practical use, the total weight reduction brought about in conjunction with the Dyneema net would be around 750 kg per aircraft.

NCA will continue to cooperate in the research and development of environment-friendly equipment and is committed to being actively engaged in protecting and preserving the environment. We will make the utmost efforts to become an Earth-friendly and human-friendly advanced air carrier.

  Ultra-light pallet net + lightweight pallet　　　　　　

* ULD (Unit Load Device), a pallet or container used to load freight allowing a large quantity of cargo to be bundled into a single unit.

                               For further inquiries: Public Relations. Public@nca.aero