Lufthansa Cargo and Maersk partner on SAF

Lufthansa Cargo will use 400 tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) on behalf of Maersk in the remainder of 2024 following the signing of an agreement between the two companies to promote the decarbonisation of airfreight through the use of SAF.

The expected reduction of CO2 emissions corresponds to at least 1,200 tonnes, said Lufthansa Cargo.

“SAF is a decisive technological key to more sustainable flying and essential for the energy transition in aviation,” said Ashwin Bhat, chief executive of Lufthansa Cargo. “With Maersk, we are jointly making a valuable contribution with the new agreement. At the same time, more sustainable flying also requires major efforts for a modern fleet and increased efficiency in flight operations. It is only through this interplay that change can be achieved sustainably.”

Maersk will allocate the achieved emissions reduction to one of its European airfreight customers as part of its ECO Delivery Air product. ECO Delivery Ocean, Air and Inland are products offered by Maersk to aid in reducing greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional fossil energy sources.

Maersk is the first company which has net zero targets validated by the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) using the maritime guidance. Maersk aims to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 across all modes of transport as well as other business areas like warehousing and container terminals.

“Cutting greenhouse gas emissions from airfreight is one of the most challenging tasks within the decarbonization of global logistics and supply chains. This is why we are excited to partner with Lufthansa Cargo in this important task,” says Morten Bo Christiansen, head of energy transition at Maersk.

“The uptake and availability of SAF in the aviation industry is still limited. Our agreement with Lufthansa Cargo enables Maersk to contribute to an increase in the uptake.”

Since September 2021, all Lufthansa Cargo customers have had the choice to transport their shipments more sustainably by choosing the ‘Sustainable Choice’ add-on service. Through the Lufthansa Group, Lufthansa Cargo offers SAF from Europe-based suppliers.

The SAF used by Lufthansa Cargo is produced from biogenic residues such as used cooking oil using the HEFA (Hydroprocessed Esters & Fatty Acids) process. 

Over its entire lifecycle (production, delivery process, combustion in the engine), SAF based on waste biomass has an approximately 80% lower CO₂ footprint than conventional fossil kerosene, stated Lufthansa Cargo. As a so-called “drop-in” fuel, it can be integrated into existing flight operations infrastructures without any modifications.

However Lufthansa Cargo noted that for operational reasons, it is not possible to refuel individual selected flights.

In September, Lufthansa Cargo and Swiss WorldCargo announced they would begin to include the cost of SAF in their Airfreight Surcharge (ASC).

The Lufthansa Group is currently working with partners worldwide on the research and development of SAF and the next generation of synthetic fuels.

Lufthansa Cargo and Swiss to add SAF costs into airfreight surcharge

Lufthansa Cargo and Korean Cargo announce new SAF partnerships