End of a British airship dream - in France
Varialift Airships, a British company that settled in 2017 just 120 km southwest of Paris to develop and build large airships, is having to say goodbye to the French town without any tangible progress. Apparently, the contract for the use of a former industrial wasteland belonging to the French army is now expiring.
Varialift has held patents in Europe, Hong Kong and the USA since 2004, with the aim of reviving the airship industry - in the service of freight transport. The company says it has been badly hit by the pandemic and is suffering from a lack of personnel.
Varialift has developed two models with lengths of 150 and 300 m, payloads of 50 and 250 t and cargo capacities of 50,000 and 500,000 sqm have been designed to meet the needs of the heavy-lift sector in particular, which is why they will also be equipped with a crane for oversized cargo.
Don't miss ITJ 39-40/2022, published today, 16 September 2022, with an insert on "Breakbulk/Heavylift"! (ah)