From major SAF deals to investments in electric ground service vehicles, Duncan Heron, VP DHL Express UK, explains how the organisation is committed to sustainable aviation logistics.

In recent years, the conversation around climate change and more sustainable business practices has intensified, with a particular focus on aviation. It has therefore become increasingly important for businesses to identify opportunities to reduce emissions and their environmental impact.

At DHL Express, we have announced hugely significant steps towards decarbonising global aviation logistics for our customers, as well as in our own journey to becoming a more sustainable company.

Steps forward with SAF

In 2022, we confirmed new strategic collaborations with bp and Neste, providing more than 800 million litres of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to DHL Express within the next five years – with these new agreements forming one of the largest SAF deals in aviation to date.

To put this deal into perspective, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimates that only 100 million litres of SAF were produced in 2021, with DHL purchasing 21% of the global supply.

This exciting announcement was shortly followed by another, with the launch of our GoGreen Plus service, making DHL Express the first global express courier to give customers the opportunity to use SAF to reduce their own Scope 3 emissions.

SAF is the best option currently available to reduce carbon emissions in aviation, providing an estimated 80% reduction compared to traditional jet fuel.

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Going green with ground-handling equipment

Sustainability is at the forefront of everything we do, and DHL is constantly looking at innovative ways to reduce carbon emissions, exploring the latest eco-friendly developments that exist outside of flights and aviation fuel.

At the end of 2023, we announced a £16 million investment in electric ground service vehicles and infrastructure at East Midlands Airport, which has seen the introduction of 100 pieces of new electric ground service equipment as part of our target to make our airport ground-handling operation fully electric by 2032.

Transitioning to fully electric ground-handling operations demonstrates our continued commitment to shrinking our carbon footprint and embracing cleaner, more eco-friendly solutions throughout our business operations.

Looking ahead with a long-term investment plan

While significant progress has been made, the journey towards sustainable air cargo operations is far from over.

To continue to make steady progress, businesses must look at every aspect of their operations and make improvements wherever possible.

Continued investment in research and development, along with policy support and wider industry cooperation, is essential to drive further innovation and achieve long-term sustainability goals. Businesses need to see sustainability as a long-term investment plan and be ready to engage customers and employees throughout the journey, with consistent communication and onboarding ultimately leading to greater success.