Qatar Airways will blend at least 5% SAF into its jet fuel supply for the fiscal year 2023-2024, in line with the oneworld alliance target of using SAF for 10% of combined fuel volumes by 2030.
Qatar Airways has entered into a partnership with Shell to procure 3,000 metric tonnes of neat Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) at Amsterdam Schiphol airport. Under the agreement, Qatar Airways will blend at least 5% SAF into its jet fuel supply for the fiscal year 2023-2024, in line with the oneworld alliance’s target of using SAF for 10% of combined fuel volumes by 2030.
This collaboration marks a significant milestone for Qatar Airways as the first carrier in the Middle East and Africa to procure a substantial amount of SAF in Europe beyond government mandates. Neat SAF has the potential to reduce full lifecycle emissions by up to 80% compared to conventional jet fuel, which translates to approximately 7,500 tonnes of CO2 reduction for Qatar Airways flights from Amsterdam during the fiscal year.
Akbar Al Baker, Chief Executive, Qatar Airways Group said, “At Qatar Airways, we are strongly committed to supporting the industry’s effort to ramp-up the use of sustainable aviation fuel, as one of the key pillars to decarbonise the aviation industry. Last year, we signed our first offtake agreement in the US, and now we are placing a multi-million US dollar SAF deal in Amsterdam to illustrate our SAF commitment and reiterate our calls for a more robust SAF supply chain across our global network. We remain steadfast in our ambitious target of 10 per cent SAF use by 2030 and this announcement, establishes another landmark for Qatar Airways that underlines the positive outcome of the industry’s collaboration which is critical to accelerating the SAF supply and achieving our target. SAF is still 3 to 5 times more expensive than fossil-based jet fuel. This is why it is essential for all stakeholders to play their part in facilitating research & development of SAF facilities, enhancing economies of scale, providing financing and placing supportive policies”.
In addition to the SAF procurement agreement, Qatar Airways enables passengers and customers to offset their flight emissions by purchasing high-quality carbon credits that meet the criteria set by the International Civil Aviation Organization. The airline currently invests in carbon credit projects that promote renewable energy and help reduce carbon emissions. Qatar Airways is also developing a solution to allow passengers and customers to offset their emissions by contributing to the cost of SAF.
“Qatar Airways and Shell have a history of collaboration, so it is fantastic to now work together on decarbonisation as we supply them with SAF for the first time,” said Jan Toschka, President of Shell Aviation. “SAF is a key lever for decarbonising aviation, but scaling its supply and use requires concerted action from across the aviation sector. Today’s agreement is a great example of the collaborative actions that are required to help accelerate aviation’s progress towards net zero,” he further added.
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The partnership between Qatar Airways and Shell demonstrates their shared commitment to sustainability and reducing the environmental impact of aviation. By increasing the use of SAF, Qatar Airways is actively contributing to the decarbonization goals of the industry and reinforcing the importance of collaboration and supportive policies to drive progress towards a more sustainable aviation sector.
