Shell Aviation has entered into agreement with DHL Express to supply the shipping giant with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for its operations at Schiphol Airport, the main airport of the Netherlands.
SAF is positioned as an immediate solution for reducing the carbon emissions of airplane travel, thus providing a bridge until zero-emissions solutions are developed, such as hydrogen powered aircraft. Shell agreed with Neste earlier in the year to distribute its SAF solution through Shell Aviation’s extensive network for supplying fuel and lubricant products to the aviation industry. The deal with DHL Express marks the first major buyer through the joint offering.
Neste’s SAF is sustainably produced from leftover raw materials and renewable waste. When used in its pure form, Neste claims it results in 80% lower emissions of greenhouse gasses over its lifecycle when compared to conventional jet fuel. It can also be blended with conventional jet fuel to meet the ATSM D1655 jet fuel standard, enabling it to be used as a drop-in replacement with existing planes and infrastructure, so no additional investment is needed.
Shell Aviation President Anna Mascolo expressed her company’s pride in cooperating with DHL Express in its efforts to reduce its carbon emissions, adding:
“Today’s agreement is an excellent example of how the cargo aviation sector can help accelerate aviation’s pathway to net-zero emissions by building demand as the fuel industry seeks to increase supply of SAF.”
DHL believes SAF will play an important role in achieving its decarbonisation target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
