EVA Air has become the first airline in Asia to deploy AeroSHARK technology, developed by Lufthansa Technik and BASF, which reduces drag and optimizes fuel consumption. The Taiwanese airline will install the innovative Libretto film, which covers the fuselage and engine nacelles, on nine of its Boeing 777F freighter aircraft.
The first EVA Air cargo aircraft equipped with AeroSHARK technology is B-16786, which was installed at Taipei Taoyuan International Airport in a project led by Lufthansa Technik and implemented by Evergreen Aviation Technologies Corporation (EGAT). The aircraft is scheduled to return to commercial service in early September.
The installation of AeroSHARK on EVA Air's nine Boeing 777F aircraft will reduce annual emissions by more than 2,500 tons of kerosene and more than 7,800 tons of carbon dioxide.
“By constantly pursuing the latest technologies to reduce carbon emissions, EVA Air is continuously making progress towards its goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. We are pleased to work with Lufthansa Technik to apply the fuel-saving AeroSHARK surface technology to its 777F freighters. This innovation not only reduces fuel consumption but also CO2 emissions. EVA Air will continuously monitor the actual fuel-saving effects and continue to evaluate additional aircraft to be equipped with this technology,” said Albert Liao, executive vice president of Corporate Planning at EVA Air.
Lufthansa Technik currently holds Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs) for the AeroSHARK conversion of two Boeing 777 aircraft already in full service operation with multiple airlines around the world. In addition to EVA Air's first AeroSHARK-equipped 777F, several other aircraft are already equipped with the technology, including Lufthansa Cargo's 777F, SWISS 777-300ER and Austrian Airlines 777-200ER. EVA Air's entire 777F fleet is expected to be equipped with the technology by 2027.
Furthermore, Lufthansa Technik and BASF aim to further develop AeroSHARK to help more airlines around the world achieve their sustainability goals. Current development priorities include the approval of additional aircraft types and area expansion. Preliminary model calculations indicate that AeroSHARK technology could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to three percent during peak expansion phases.
