The US Department of Transportation is providing $1.7 million in research funding for a new programme focused on climate change and transportation that will be based at the University of California-Davis. The Center for Emissions Reduction, Resiliency, and Climate Equity in Transportation is being established through a co-operative agreement with the DOT, and will support its Climate Change Center, which was launched in 1999. California State University Long Beach, Texas Southern University, the University of California-Riverside, the University of Southern California and the University of Vermont will collectively execute research activities at the new centre, the DOT says. Research will be focused on technology that could potentially be used to support the USA's clean energy goals; the acceleration of the decarbonisation of the transportation sector; transportation infrastructure improvements; and environmental inequities created by the transportation system. "Tackling the climate crisis and making our infrastructure more resilient has never been more urgent," US Transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg states.

Swiss has completed the rollout of fuel-saving AeroShark film on all 12 Boeing 777-300ERs in its fleet. The first aircraft of the airline was fitted with the film in October 2022, while the final 777, registered HB-JNF, was equipped at the beginning of this month, the Lufthansa Group airline says. The AeroShark film is applied to the aircraft's fuselage and engine nacelles and replicates the hydrodynamic properties of a shark's skin to reduce air resistance in flight. AeroShark lowered Swiss's fuel consumption last year by over 2,200t, with concomitant reductions of some 7,100t in the airline's carbon dioxide emissions, the airline adds. The technology has been jointly developed by Lufthansa Technik and coatings manufacturer BASF. Swiss is also considering extending its AeroShark application programme to other types in its long-haul fleet.

Taiwanese carrier EVA Air has ordered four more Boeing 787-10s from the airframer. In a filing to the Taiwan stock exchange on 10 May, the carrier says the total transaction price for the order will not exceed $1.95 billion, with unit prices not exceeding $488 million. In a separate filing on the same day, the carrier also announced the purchase of a General Electric GEnx-1B74/75 spare engine for no more than $36.8 million. The engine powers 787-9s. EVA operates 85 aircraft, comprising 34 777-300ERs, 11 787-10s, four 787-9s, nine Airbus A330-300s, one A330-200, 14 A321-200s and nine 777-200LR freighters, fleets data shows. It also has two A330-200s and one A321 stored. It has 18 A350-1000s, 15 A321neos, nine 787-9s and two 787-10s on order, excluding the new commitment. EVA says the 18 Airbus widebodies will be delivered between 2026 and 2030, while the 18 narrowbodies are scheduled for delivery from 2029 to 2030, according to its 2023 annual report. The carrier will start receiving its orders of 11 787s this year and will convert three of its 777-300ERs to freighters from 2026, it adds. EVA expects to end the year with 87 aircraft on its fleet, comprising 33 777-300ERs, 12 787-10s, seven 787-9s, nine A330-300s, 17 A321-200s and nine 777F freighters. The carrier announced in March that it sold the three A330-200s in its fleet to Mockingbird Limited.