Lufthansa Cargo and logistics provider DB Schenker have committed to extending the airline’s weekly cargo flight rotations between Frankfurt and Shanghai using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).

The joint initiative will continue through the winter flight schedule until March 2022, saving 174 tons of conventional kerosene every week, the companies claimed.

DB Schenker’s global board member for air and ocean freight Thorsten Meincke said: “The SAF full charter flight rotation is a game-changer as it goes beyond a pay-per-use scheme. Together, we can avoid CO2 and take another step towards a more sustainable future.”

During this year’s summer flight schedule, the duo said the initiative achieved a net reduction of 20,250 tons of greenhouse gases.

They expect a further 14,175 tons from the end of October 2021 to the end of March 2022.

“Using SAF is one possibility to fly CO2-neutral today,” said Lufthansa Cargo’s chief commercial officer Ashwin Bhat. “We strongly believe that transforming our business into CO2-neutral air freight can best be achieved when all of us join their forces.”

Global telecommunication network provider Nokia has also joined the project.

Nokia will ship a weekly freight volume of 10 tons of communications network equipment from a production facility in Shanghai to its European hub in Tilburg, Netherlands.

The “end-to-end” agreement with DB Schenker also covers the land transport of the goods from Shanghai to Tilburg, which will be covered by hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO).

“Investing in sustainable solutions is a top priority for us and a shared goal with our partners,” said Nokia’s president of mobile networks Tommi Uitto. “We can only achieve our climate targets together. Innovation and working together across sectors are key to a greener supply chain.”

Ahead of the United Nations’ climate change conference COP26 on 31 October, the companies said the joint initiative “reinforces the importance of investing in sustainable aviation fuel solutions” and is “another step towards making global supply chains more climate friendly”.