DHL Global Forwarding has signed an agreement with Air France KLM Martinair Cargo (AFKLMP) for the purchase of 33 million liters of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in a push to further decarbonize aviation.

In a statement, DHL said the three-year cooperation represents one of the most significant SAF purchases in the Freight Forwarding industry.

The initiative is part of Deutsche Post DHL Group's Sustainability Roadmap, which aims to spend €7 billion on green technologies by 2030 and reduce all logistics-related emissions to zero by 2050.

"We have set ourselves ambitious goals on our journey towards zero emissions. Sustainable fuels are a fundamental part of our efforts. That is why we have committed to covering at least 30% of air freight and ocean freight fuel requirements with sustainable fuels by 2030," said Tim Scharwath, CEO DHL Global Forwarding, Freight. 

The forwarder's customers will be able to access the SAF through a 'book and claim' system; when purchasing a DHL service, they can select the sustainable option. The related emissions reduction will then be credited to their account.

DHL noted that the collaboration underpins its efforts to support sustainability, recognizing the vital role of SAF in decarbonizing the air freight industry.

It expects the partnership to save 80,000+ tons of carbon dioxide emissions by blending SAF with regular aviation fuel in AFKLMP flights.

"Since it is nearly impossible both technically and logistically to physically track SAF from production to the airplane, 'book & claim' offers a digital accounting system to track and transfer emissions reductions from sustainable fuels across the value chains,"DHL added.

Companies can own SAF by buying and selling it without physically tracing the fuel through the supply chain. This makes SAF accessible for companies of all sizes and locations.