Cathay has announced that Dimerco Express Group, Yusen Logistics, and Business Environment Council, have joined its Corporate Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Programme.

The three new partners join the programme’s launch customers – AIA, Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK), Kintetsu World Express (KWE), PwC China, Standard Chartered and Swire Pacific.

Launched in 2022, Cathay’s SAF Programme is part of the airline’s ongoing commitment to combat climate change, and one of the first of its kind in Asia.

SAF Programme partners join to enhance their commitment to reducing the climate impact from their business travel and airfreight activities through scaling up the use of SAF.

Dimerco Express Group and Yusen Logistics are current cargo customers for Cathay, whilst Business Environment Council becomes the programme’s first non-governmental organisation (NGO) partner.

Ronald Lam, Cathay Group chief executive, said: “Cathay is undertaking a multi-pronged approach to contribute to the aviation industry’s transition towards a greener future.

“SAF is an important facet of this approach, and we have received strong support from our corporate and cargo customers since the launch of our Corporate SAF Programme.

“We have also established new SAF supply partnerships in the broader Asia region to convey a clear message to the SAF supply chain that there is firm demand from this part of the world.”

Lam added: “We would like to warmly welcome our new partners, and express our gratitude to our original launch customers for their continued support of the programme.

“We look forward to welcoming other interested companies to sign up to reduce their indirect emissions from flight-related activities, and join our mission to be Greener Together.”

Cathay was among the first airlines in the world to announce a target of 10% SAF for its total fuel use by 2030.

Since then, it uplifted SAF at Hong Kong International Airport for the first time in 2022, and successfully conducted its first overseas SAF uplifts on commercial flights at Singapore Changi Airport and Los Angeles International Airport in 2023.

The SAF Cathay used over the past year was made from used cooking oil and animal fat waste, and was made available by its fuel suppliers, ExxonMobil and Shell.

In 2023, Cathay and State Power Investment Corporation (SPIC) signed an MoU to drive the further development of the SAF supply chain in China.

In addition to increasing the use of SAF, Cathay states that its carbon reduction roadmap includes fleet modernisation, operational efficiency improvements, leveraging on emerging technology breakthroughs to decarbonise aviation, and high-quality carbon offset projects.

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