The Future Of Cargo? Kuehne+Nagel Eyes Blended Wing Freighter

Keuhne+Nagel, a major shipping company, has partnered with Natilus, which is developing a blended-wing body (BWB) aircraft, to explore the possibilities of deploying such aircraft in the air cargo sector.

However, the two companies did not disclose an order. Natilus previously indicated that it has secured over 460 orders for the Kona, an autonomous cargo aircraft that can carry a payload of up to 3.8 tons (3.4 tonnes).

Strategic Partnership

On May 28, Kuehne+Nagel, the Switzerland-based logistics company, which has an air cargo subsidiary with a single Boeing 747-8F, the last-ever 747 that the plane maker delivered in January 2023, announced a partnership with Natilus, a United States-based startup that aims to build commercial passenger and cargo aircraft.

The shipping giant said that the partnership will entail studies of Natilus’ BWB aircraft and its environmental, economic, and operational impact of integrating the to-be aircraft into commercial air freight operations.

“Leveraging its knowledge of the air logistics industry, Kuehne+Nagel will collaborate with Natilus to explore the operational feasibility of implementing its aircraft within the industry, focusing on route modelling, environmental impact assessment, operational cost analysis, and engagement with the aviation industry.”

Reducing Fuel Consumption, Improving Payload

Keuhne+Nagel claimed that Natilus was the first company to commercialize a BWB design, with the startup, founded in 2016, looking to develop an aircraft family that would reduce fuel consumption by 30% and increase payload by 40%, without providing the baseline for the comparison.

“Together, the companies will assess how blended-wing-body aircraft will operate within existing fleets to improve logistics efficiency, enhance service offerings, and reduce carbon emissions in freight forwarding,” Keuhne+Nagel said, adding that it has been actively exploring opportunities to become more sustainable for its customers.

Holger Ketz, the Senior Vice President of Network and Carrier Management of Air Logistics at Kuehne+Nagel, stated that the company has always led the way in making air freight logistics more sustainable. Its collaboration with Natilus is just another example of how it is exploring new technologies for more environmentally friendly and cost-effective air freight solutions. Aleksey Matyushev, the founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Natilus, said that the partnership with the shipping company is “a meaningful step in helping the industry better understand the powerful advantages of blended-wing-body aircraft, which will become a blueprint for other logistics companies over the next decade.”

Looking For A Production Site

So far in 2025, developments for Natilus have been limited. In addition to a partnership announcement with Palantir, a company that has close ties with the Donald Trump administration, including a $30 million contract to track migrants and their self-deportation and deportation logistics, the company has also begun searching for space to build its manufacturing facilities.

On March 25, the company said that it has begun the process of selecting a potential site for the assembly of its aircraft to produce its BWB freighter Kona and the 200-passenger Horizon BWB commercial aircraft. “New tariffs on critical materials are expected to exacerbate aviation supply chain challenges and further delay deliveries of cargo and passenger aircraft to US airlines,” it said, highlighting that by establishing its facilities in the US, it is well-positioned to mitigate the impact of potential trade restrictions and supply chain restrictions.

Natilus pointed out that in February, Nolinor, the Canadian airline with several Boeing 737-200 aircraft, “has reserved multiple production slots of Kona.” In January 2023, Natilus said that with Ameriflight’s order for 20 KONAs, the company had amassed more than 460 “commitments,” with the backlog being valued at $6.8 billion.

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