TOKYO (Reuters) – DHL Express, a division of Germany’s Deutsche Post, said on Tuesday it would buy sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from a unit of Japan’s Cosmo Energy Holdings starting in April.
The German logistics company will procure 7,200 kilolitres of SAF annually from Cosmo, which will be produced domestically.
DHL will begin using the green fuel for scheduled air cargo flights from Chubu Centrair International Airport in central Japan, making Chubu the first airport in Asia where it procures SAF.
DHL aims to increase its SAF consumption to 30% or more by 2030 and intends to add three more airports – including another in Asia – for SAF procurement later this year, Tony Khan, president of DHL Japan, told reporters. Chubu will be its 10th airport worldwide for SAF procurement.
Cosmo, Japan’s third-biggest oil refiner, plans to start full-scale production of 30,000 kilolitres of SAF per year in April at its Sakai refinery in Osaka.
It aims to produce SAF from used cooking oil in partnership with two companies, marking Japan’s first large-scale SAF production initiative.
(Reporting by Yuka Obayashi; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise)
