Canadian solar airship will ascend in Africa

Solar Ship, a Canadian solar company, and Manaf Freighters, an African air cargo services company, have set up a joint venture to deploy their new solar-powered hybrid airships to provide critical goods, such as food, clothing, medical supplies and basic necessities, to remote areas.

The new type of solar airship combines the structure of airplanes and airships with helium-filled pterosomes to enable rapid take-off and landing in open areas such as soccer fields, enabling them to provide supplies in remote areas. 

As part of a joint venture with Solar Ship, Manaf Freighters in Burundi, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of the Congo have agreed to purchase four solar-powered airships, including two short-haul aircraft, Caracal and two Wolverine aircraft, for use in remote areas of East and Central Africa of goods transport and relief. Two Wolverine aircraft can carry a 20-foot container with a minimum payload of 5 tons.

Solar Ship said its Manaf joint venture, Peace & Freedom Services, links people in the Great Lakes region of Africa to global logistics to provide critical goods, including food, clothing, medical supplies and basic necessities.

Until now, Manaf relied on ordinary airplanes to supply critical supplies to Central and East Africa, reaching areas not reachable by other means of transport such as trucks, trains or boats.

Solar Ship plans to deploy with Manaf next year.