AVULD Operating Cost Savings Calculator

AVULD · FLEET ECONOMICS

Operating Cost Savings Calculator

Compare fuel, storage, return transport and temperature-controlled container costs across your fleet.

Case Scenario

Select an airline to load its reference fleet and estimated savings. Independent planning scenarios; not airline endorsements.

1. Operation Airlines Cargo Both operations

2. Fleet models

ULD-equipped A319/A320/A321 variants use LD3-45W (AKH). Passenger 737/757 lower holds are bulk-loaded; freighter variants may use main-deck containers. For main-deck-only aircraft, choose an upper-deck ULD. Models marked layout required need operator counts in admin settings. Published container capacities are alternatives to pallets, not additive.

Operation	Fleet model	A/C qty	A/C daily utilization	Under-deck ULD ULDs / aircraft	Upper deck / combi ULDs / aircraft	Imbalance %

Imbalance: the percentage of ULD movements that are empty because cargo flows differ between locations. Example: 20 empty movements out of 100 total movements = 20%. “Both operations” lets you combine airline and cargo aircraft in the same estimate.

3. Fuel, carbon & storage

Fuel price (USD / lb)Carbon selectionCarbon price (USD / t CO₂)Covered emissions (%)Storage (USD / LD3 space / day)Storage days / unit / eventEmpty storage — whole fleet (%)Share of ULD movements needing storage; use your average dwell days for each unit.

4. Empty ULD repositioning

Compare returning rigid ULDs in available under-deck space, by dedicated flight or another air-cargo carrier, with collapsed air or optional ocean returns.

Current return operation Collapsed return method Empty ULDs repositioned / month Average return flight hours / ULD Average Ocean Shipping Time (days) Dedicated / other-carrier share (%)Remaining share returns in available under-deck space. Both shares use the same automatic market-value rate; the split identifies how returns are handled. Available-space return cost / rigid ULD (USD) — automaticAutomatically valued at rigid chargeable weight × the entered air-cargo rate. This is a market-value comparison for occupied space, not an automatic cash expense on the airline’s own flight. Cost per unit (USD) — automaticRigid ULD chargeable weight × your current USD/kg rate. Applies to the dedicated/other-carrier share. Current air-cargo rate (USD / chargeable kg)Bundled North America → Greater China FAX reference: $1.44/kg, observed 26 October 2026. Editable dated benchmark, not an automatic live quote or a charter-flight quotation. Minimum collapsed paid-air charge / ULD (USD) — automaticAvailable-space rigid ULD return value ÷ the admin folding ratio (default 7:1). Actual paid-air cost may be higher if the tare-weight charge governs. Folded ULDs / 40 ft HC container85 default; 80–90 is your planning range, subject to dimensions, packing, securement and payload. Minimum ocean charge / 40 ft HC (USD)$4,000 airport-to-seaport planning floor per container. The all-in quote below must include this leg. Use the higher amount once, not both added together. All-in ocean cost / 40 ft HC (USD)$4,000 Pacific-route scenario per container, supplied by AVULD; not a carrier quote. Include airport transfers, sea freight, ports and delivery. Whole containers round up monthly. Extra transit / inventory cost per ULD (USD) — automaticULD replacement value × annual carrying-cost rate × shipping days ÷ 365. Default transit: 30 days. Change the value and rate in the assumptions below. Extra folding / loading cost per ULD (USD)$10.00 per ULD by default. Incremental cost only; exclude handling already covered by the transport quote.

ULD dimensions, weight and transit assumptions

LD3 reference by default. External shipping-envelope dimensions drive volumetric weight; edit for your actual package or other ULD types. Carrier acceptance, contour allowances and contract rules may differ.

Shipping length (cm) Shipping width (cm) Shipping height (cm) Rigid empty tare (kg) ULD replacement value (USD)$1,000 illustrative inventory value, not an AVULD sales quotation. Annual inventory carrying cost (%)20% planning assumption. Includes only carrying costs you actually incur; this is not the full cost of buying extra ULDs.

Monthly units must fit the fleet's modeled empty movements. A 7:1 volume ratio does not guarantee sevenfold cost savings. Dedicated/other-carrier pricing is per-unit air-cargo economics, not a whole-aircraft charter estimate. Available-space savings represent released space value unless the operator confirms avoidable cash costs. No cancelled-flight or net ocean-emissions benefit is added.

5. Repair shipments to MRO

Containers sent for repair / monthUnfolded MRO air freight / unit (USD)Folded MRO air-freight minimum (USD)

Repair freight uses the configured folded-volume scenario, subject to actual chargeable weight and freight terms. Ocean returns above are a separate movement; do not count the same shipment twice.

6. Refrigerated & frozen rental replacement

Whole-fleet monthly bookings. The alternative uses a full-opening AVULD, disposable PU foam insulation and frozen gel/PCM coolant packs. Optional silica-gel desiccant controls moisture only; it does not provide cooling.

Comparison input	Refrigerated	Frozen	Reference defaults
Containers / month
Rental USD / day
Rental days / booking
Active tare (lb)
AVULD + PU + coolant tare (lb)
Alternative cost / shipment (USD)

Average Flight hours / thermal shipment

Include the complete package tare and the full per-use cost of foam, frozen coolant, handling and disposal. Thermal missions replace LD3 movements already included in the fleet baseline; additional fuel savings deduct that baseline to avoid double counting.

FUEL PRICE USED

Estimated annual gross savings

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Monthly equivalent

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Fuel savings, including thermal replacements: —
Carbon cost scenario: —
Empty ULD repositioning savings: —
MRO repair air-freight savings: —
Airport storage savings: —
Thermal rental savings less packaging costs: —

—fuel saved / year (lb)

—CO₂ avoided / year (t)

—additional thermal fuel benefit / year

—ULD weight removed across fleet (lb)

Airline information

Airline / companyContact personPositionPhone numberEmail

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