DHL Express and DHL Global Forwarding have renewed their contract with IAG Cargo, the cargo handling division of International Airlines Group (IAG), to use an additional 60 million liters of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
The new contract, which covers 2024 and 2025 emissions, will result in a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of approximately 165,000 metric tons of CO2e – the equivalent to removing a B747-400 freighter from DHL’s intercontinental operations from the UK to US. This is the largest SAF agreement between an airline and a customer to date.
“We strongly believe that collaboration is the foundation of a more sustainable future. Both DHL and IAG Cargo share a strong commitment to carbon footprint reduction. We are pleased that we can now mark another milestone on our journey toward more sustainable air freight,” said Travis Cobb, EVP of global network operations and aviation at DHL Express.
The SAF used in this collaboration is derived from sources such as used cooking oil and food waste and has been proved to achieve around 80% lower lifecycle emissions compared with conventional jet fuel. The SAF will mainly be delivered to London Heathrow.
David Shepherd, chief executive officer at IAG Cargo, said, “This partnership with DHL is a testament to our shared commitment to decarbonizing aviation. By utilizing 60 million liters of sustainable aviation fuel, we are not just reducing our carbon footprint by an estimated 165,000 metric tons of CO2e, we are demonstrating the power of collaboration in driving meaningful change. This reinforces IAG Cargo’s commitment to sustainable air freight solutions and brings us closer to achieving our group goal of net zero emissions by 2050.”