DHL Express has made a major step towards its decarbonization and sustainability goals after signing landmark deals with bp and Neste to provide more than 800 million liters of sustainable aviation duel (SAF) within the next five years.

DHL Express chief, John Pearson, said the key focus is to inspire more SAF suppliers to address the current supply gap. “At the same time, we are calling on policy makers to set the right framework to accelerate market ramp up of SAF in the EU and worldwide, including an accounting mechanism that allows flexible SAF purchases and usage,” Pearson added.

Also read: DHL Express adds 777F capacity from Vietnam to US

The deals, together with the previously announced SAF introduction in DHL network’s in San Francisco (SFO), East Midlands (EMA) and Amsterdam (AMS), are expected to exceed 50 percent of the company’s target to reach 10 percent SAF blending for all air transport by 2026.

Assuming 100 percent usage of the alternate fuel, the 800 million litres is enough to operate 12,000 carbon neutral long-haul flights between Cincinnati and Leipzig in Germany using Boeing 777s for an estimated span of 12 years.