Three new corporate partners have joined Cathay’s Corporate Sustainable Aviation Fuel Programme as the airline continues to collaborate with stakeholders to help decarbonise the aviation industry and support its net-zero targets.

Cargo customers Dimerco Express Group and Yusen Logistics, as well as NGO partner Business Environment Council, have joined the carrier to promote the wider adoption of renewable energy to decarbonise business travel and the transport of cargo shipments.

As leaders in corporate climate action, Cathay’s partners are committed to reducing the climate impact from their business travel and airfreight activities through scaling up the use of SAF.

The new partners will join the programme’s launch customers, which include AIA, Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK), Kintetsu World Express (KWE), PwC China, Standard Chartered and Swire Pacific.

“SAF is an important facet of this approach, and we have received strong support from our corporate and cargo customers since the launch of our Corporate SAF Programme. We have also established new SAF supply partnerships in the broader Asia region to convey a clear message to the SAF supply chain that there is firm demand from this part of the world.

Cathay was among the first airlines in the world to announce a target of 10% SAF for its total fuel use by 2030. Since then, it uplifted SAF at Hong Kong International Airport for the first time in 2022, and successfully conducted its first overseas uplifts powered by SAF on commercial flights at Singapore Changi Airport and Los Angeles International Airport in 2023.

Last year, the airline signed a memorandum of understanding with State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC) to drive the further development of the SAF supply chain in China. Over the past year, the airline has been using SAF made available by fuel suppliers, ExxonMobil and Shell, which were made from used cooking oil and animal fat waste.

Cathay Group chief, Ronald Lam, said the carrier is undertaking a ‘multi-pronged’ approach to contribute to the aviation industry’s transition towards a greener future.

“SAF is an important facet of this approach, and we have received strong support from our corporate and cargo customers since the launch of our Corporate SAF Programme. We have also established new SAF supply partnerships in the broader Asia region to convey a clear message to the SAF supply chain that there is firm demand from this part of the world,” Lam noted.