DHL Express has signed up to Cathay Pacific’s sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) programme across three key Asian gateways.
Under the agreement, Cathay will supply DHL Express with 2,400 tonnes of SAF for international flights departing from Seoul Incheon International Airport, Tokyo Narita International Airport, and Singapore Changi Airport.
The flights are operated by Cathay Pacific subsidiary Air Hong Kong, which principally operates express cargo services for DHL Express.
The partnership covers 2025 and is expected to reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 7,190 tonnes, which the partners said is the equivalent to the emissions of over 100 flights from Hong Kong to Singapore with an Airbus A330 freighter.
DHL Express senior vice president for Asia Pacific network operations & aviation Peter Bardens said: “Sustainable aviation fuel currently accounts for less than 1% of the total global jet fuel consumption, yet air transport is one of our biggest sources of greenhouse gas emissions.
“Our decision to expand our SAF usage in Asia with Cathay is another important step that we have taken to drive momentum in SAF production and demand.”
Cathay director of cargo Tom Owen added: “This partnership marks the first SAF uplift on Air Hong Kong flights, a key milestone for Cathay as we continue to expand the SAF usage across our global network.”
Cathay Pacific launched its corporate SAF programme in 2022. In 2024, the Corporate SAF Programme enabled the use of over 6,000 tonnes of SAF, with a record 16 partners participating.
Earlier in 2025, the group entered into an agreement with Sinopec to uplift SAF produced in the Chinese Mainland at Hong Kong International Airport, marking the first such export by Sinopec to Hong Kong.
Additionally, Cathay has partnered with SK Energy to secure SAF supply in South Korea from 2025 to 2027.
DHL has also been investing in its SAF offering and has secured agreements with producers Neste, bp, and World Energy.
Earlier this year, DHL Express also partnered with Cosmo Oil Marketing to use SAF produced in Japan for flights departing the country.
In July, Neste agreed to supply DHL Express with 9.5m litres of locally produced SAF for international flights out of Singapore Changi Airport.
