DHL Express has signed a deal with Cosmo Oil Marketing Co., Ltd. to purchase Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to drive emission-reduced air freight in Japan.

The deal represents an annual purchase of 7.2 million litres of SAF, which DHL Express will use for its regular cargo shipping services starting in April 2025, marking the first such initiative for the international express industry in Asia

In a statement, DHL said this agreement marks a major contract for SAF produced in Japan by Saffaire Sky Energy LLC, a subsidiary of Cosmo Energy Holdings Co., Ltd. 

The company will produce SAF  at its mass production facility, scheduled to begin operations in 2025.

DHL noted that with this deal, DHL Express will secure a stable SAF supply and accelerate efforts to promote sustainable air cargo transport in Japan.

 [Source: DHL Express]

Tony Khan, president and representative director of DHL Express Japan, said that through the agreement with Cosmo Oil Marketing, DHL will be the first international express provider in Japan to use the locally produced SAF on scheduled regular cargo flights.

"SAF is currently the most effective solution for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in air transport. Moving forward, as part of our responsibility to customers in Japan, we are committed to promoting emission-reduced shipping solutions and to contributing to the reduction of the transport sector's environmental impact," he said.

Koji Moriyama, president, representative director and chief executive officer of Cosmo Oil Marketing Co., Ltd., said the company is looking forward to contributing to the decarbonization efforts of DHL Express and its customers through SAF.

"SAF plays an essential role in the decarbonization of the aviation industry, and we are excited to be part of this important initiative.  Moving forward, we will continue to support the realization of a decarbonized society, starting with this collaboration, by promoting the use of SAF," Moriyama said.

DHL's First SAF procurement in Asia

DHL Express said it currently accepts SAF at airports around the world including Amsterdam Schiphol (Netherlands), Stockholm Arlanda Airport (Sweden), Brussels Airport (Belgium), East Midlands Airport (UK), Los Angeles International Airport (US), Leipzig Airport (Germany), Miami International Airport (US), San Francisco International Airport (US), and Stansted Airport (UK).

The SAF fuel procured under this agreement will be delivered to Central Japan International Airport (Nagoya Airport), which will be the first airport to take SAF in Asia among more than 500 airports used in the DHL Express global network.

DHL Express has been offering GoGreen Plus, the industry's first international shipping service that enables customers to reduce (in-set) their Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions using SAF, since 2022 with the sustainable fuel derived from DHL's other SAF contracts.

DHL is looking to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 through its decarbonization measures. This includes the electrification of delivery vehicles worldwide, the use of SAF in its aviation network and operation of carbon-neutral facilities in addition to the promotion of its GoGreen Plus service.