In a major step towards a sustainable aviation industry, Qatar Airways has recently signed a deal with Shell to source 3 000 metric tonnes of neat Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport.
It encompasses the existing jet fuel contract with Shell at Amsterdam, which will now see Qatar Airways using at least a 5% SAF blend over the contract period for the fiscal year 2023-2024.
The airline’s bilateral agreement with Shell is part of a wider effort initiated by the oneworld alliance, which has a set target of using SAF for 10% of combined fuel volumes by 2030.
Qatar Airways is the first carrier in the Middle East and Africa to procure a large SAF amount in Europe beyond government SAF mandates.
SAF offers significant potential for decarbonisation as neat SAF can reduce full lifecycle emissions by up to 80% compared with conventional jet fuel. This means that Qatar Airways will reduce its emissions on flights from Amsterdam by approximately 7 500 tonnes of CO2 for the fiscal year.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Akbar Al Baker, said: “At Qatar Airways, we are strongly committed to supporting the industry’s effort to ramp-up the use of sustainable aviation fuel, as one of the key pillars to decarbonise the aviation industry. Last year, we signed our first offtake agreement in the US, and now we are placing a multi-million US dollar SAF deal in Amsterdam to illustrate our SAF commitment and reiterate our calls for a more robust SAF supply chain across our global network.
“SAF is still three to five times more expensive than fossil-based jet fuel. This is why it is essential for all stakeholders to play their part in facilitating research and development of SAF facilities, enhancing economies of scale, providing finance and placing supportive policies.”
Jan Toschka, President of Shell Aviation, said: “SAF is a key lever for decarbonising aviation, but scaling its supply and use requires concerted action from across the aviation sector. Today’s agreement is a great example of the collaborative actions that are required to help accelerate aviation’s progress towards nett zero.”
Qatar Airways is also working on introducing a solution that will allow passengers and customers to offset their emissions by contributing to the cost of SAF.
The SAF trend has also reached Africa, with Kenya Airways successfully undertaking the first long-haul commercial flight from Africa to Europe using SAF last month.
