Seoul Airport Funds Lightweight, Green Containers

South Korea’s Seoul International Airport is splitting the cost of new, lightweight cargo containers with three airlines as part of an effort to make air freight shipping more environmentally friendly.

The airport’s management group, IIAC, said it is providing 50 percent of the purchase price of the aircraft containers, which the airport will label “Incheon Airport, Green Cargo Hub.”

IIAC said it hopes the unit load devices emblazoned with the airport’s new brand will help raise awareness of Incheon’s green shipping efforts as the containers circulate around the world.

Made of a special lightweight fabric, the new ULDs weigh about 40 percent less than standard containers made of steel, reducing fuel consumption for aircraft.

IIAC says it has agreements with UPS and with Korean carriers Korean Air and Asiana Airlines in which the airport provides 50 percent of the purchase cost of the containers. The airport is expanding its budget for the program next year to offer it to more airlines.

Airlines typically buy and label their own cargo containers, which can move between airports some 250 times a year. The Incheon management group says it’s happy to see the ULDs start moving far from Seoul since that will help expand the airport’s image as environmentally friendly.