International express service provider DHL Express announced a new agreement with Dubai-based sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) producer SAF One for the purchase of 250,000 metric tons (327 million liters) of SAF to be delivered to DHL over 10 years, marking the company’s first SAF offtake agreement in the Middle East.
The companies said that under the agreement, SAF One will supply DHL with 25,000 metric tons of unblended sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) annually, beginning in 2028. DHL said that the SAF will support emissions reductions across its regional and international air freight network and contribute to its goal to increase the use of sustainable aviation fuels to 30% by 2030.
The fuel supplied under the agreement will be produced at SAF One’s flagship plant in Bahrain, which the companies said represents one of the most advanced SAF plants in the region, utilizing renewable feedstocks and next generation refining technologies designed to deliver high quality, scalable, and certified sustainable aviation fuel.
Deepak Munganahalli, Co-Founder & CEO, SAF One said:
“We are grateful to DHL Express for entering into this offtake agreement with us, which is an important step toward bringing a landmark sustainable aviation fuel facility to the Middle East.”
Scaling the use of sustainable aviation and alternative fuels forms a significant part of DHL’s Sustainability Roadmap. Launched in 2021, the roadmap included plans to invest €7 billion over ten years in measures to reduce its CO2 emissions, with a focus on the expansion of a zero-emissions fleet, alternative aviation fuels, and climate-neutral buildings. In addition to its 2050 net zero goal, DHL also has interim targets to increase the share of more sustainable fuels across all transportation modes to more than 30%, and to electrify two-thirds of last-mile delivery vehicles by 2030.
According to DHL, in addition to supporting the company’s sustainability goals, the new agreement is expected to contribute significantly to its carbon insetting service, GoGreen Plus, which enables customers to reduce their Scope 3 GHG emissions using SAF. The SAF supplied under the agreement will be allocated globally through a verified book and claim model, enabling customers to reduce Scope 3 emissions even on routes not directly fueled with SAF.
Abdulaziz Busbate, CEO DHL Express MENA said:
“We are proud to see the Middle East playing a central role in the global shift toward emission-reduced aviation. Partnering with SAF One allows us to accelerate regional decarbonization, strengthen local innovation ecosystems, and offer our customers credible and transparent emission-reduced shipping solutions. This agreement symbolizes our long-standing commitment to Bahrain and across the region.”
