Cathay Pacific will pilot the first sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) programme at Hong Kong International Airport, allowing air freight customers to reduce their carbon footprint.

The Hong Kong-based carrier will kickstart the programme with corporate launch customers, which include Aerospace Industries Association, DHL Global Forwarding and Kintetsu World Express (KWE).

Cathay chief Augustus Tang said the SAF pilot sends an important demand signal to the SAF supply chain. “There is firm interest in the region, not only from airlines, but also the aviation value chain all the way to end users for both passenger and cargo transportation,” Tang said.

Last year, Cathay was amongst the few carriers that announced a target of 10 percent SAF for its total fuel use by 2030. With strong support from local authorities and fuel suppliers, the airline is now calling on other interested companies to sign up for the cause.

The SAF used for the programme will be supplied by PetroChina and Shell, which is made from used cooking oil and animal fat waste. The airline said the alternative fuel will go through the normal aviation-fuelling infrastructure, providing learnings for developing ongoing regular SAF supply from the airport in the future.