Dubai’s dnata to replace vehicles, equipment with electric units

Dubai’s air and travel services provider dnata is targeting to replace all its vehicles, diesel units, and ground support equipment (GSE) with electric ones to become carbon neutral, reduce general and maintenance costs.

dnata has set up e-Apron, a sustainability zone, at the 21st edition of the Airport Show at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), providing opportunity for electric/hybrid GSE and ground handling equipment (GHE) manufacturers to showcase their innovations, official news agency WAM reported. Exhibitors at the e-Apron included Cobus Industries, which is showcasing its electric bus for service at airports; Sweden’s Kalmar Motors; UK-based Midstream Lighting, Germany’s Colibri Energy; ADB SAFEGATE and TLD.

“Reducing the carbon footprint is a key target for dnata as a world-leading air and travel services provider at 129 airports. We expect exhibitors from across the world to be joining the efforts to make their operations sustainable to ensure a better future,” said Raed Younes, vice president for UAE and regional business development at dnata.

“Cargo handling from an equipment perspective, we are looking into electric options as we are pushing all airports we manage to a sustainability environment.”

dnata has started replacing about 30,000 equipment – like motorised and non-motorised trolleys, 124 hybrid cars and thousands of tractors – across Dubai and Jebel Ali with electric ones. It is also exploring to convert heavy duty tractors with electric units.

Jurek Grzeszek, director sales and service, TLD Middle East, Africa and India, said fully electrified ground support equipment is undoubtedly where the industry is heading. “TLD recognised the importance of electric GSE some years ago and has been developing its iBS battery technology to electrify a range of high-powered ramp equipment. The technological advances offer a huge portfolio of the latest electric equipment for our customers, whilst also allowing the electrification option for older GSE through our retrofit programme,” he said.

dnata provides ground handling, cargo, catering and retail services at over 120 airports across 19 countries. It recently announced that it invested more than $17m in an attempt to boost its Erbil operations.

Read: Dubai’s dnata invests over $17m to boost Erbil operations