East Midlands Airport becomes sustainable aviation fuel base for DHL

DHL Express aircraft landing at East Midlands Airport will be fuelled using Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) supplied by Neste from 2022, it has been announced.

As part of the COP26 climate conference, Deutsche Post DHL Group has announced the step towards introducing climate-friendly aviation logistics.

In total, DHL will purchase SAF for more than EUR 60 million (£5.14m) by the middle of 2022, reducing the business’s carbon emissions by around 70,000 tons.

This is a first step for the Group towards its ambitious 2030 target of meeting at least 30 percent of its aviation fuel needs using sustainable fuels.

Melanie Kreis, CFO Deutsche Post DHL Group and Steering Committee Member of the World Economic Forum’s Clean Skies for Tomorrow coalition said:

As the world’s leading logistics provider, it is our responsibility to play an active part in leading our industry towards a sustainable future.

In line with our company’s “Mission 2050: Zero Emissions” and our commitment to the “Business Ambition for 1.5°C” campaign, we have pledged to invest approximately EUR 7 billion by 2030 in clean operations, within the framework of our Sustainability Roadmap

Neste will be the main SAF’s supplier to DHL Express at East Midlands Airport, supplying the company with the innovative new fuel.

The renewable part is produced from Used Cooking Oil (UCO), while avoiding palm oil.

The investment will enable DHL to transport 1,500 tons of air freight weekly in a more sustainable way from the UK on around 165 European and 35 intercontinental flights.

John Pearson, CEO DHL Express said:

We need to reduce carbon emissions by using imaginative solutions available today. This deal with Neste furthers our efforts to make our services green and sustainable for our customers.

With the investment in our East Midlands Hub, we use SAF for around 200 network flights a week departing from the UK.

Thorsten Lange, Executive Vice President Europe, Renewable Aviation at Neste, about the deal:

We are excited to provide Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel in the UK to Deutsche Post DHL Group, a leader in driving the sustainability agenda. It provides an immediate solution to start decarbonizing aviation operations.

The cooperation with Deutsche Post DHL Group is a great example of how we are working together with major partners across the fuel supply chain to scale up the use and availability of sustainable aviation fuel.

We look forward to supporting DHL in further reducing net emission with additional supply of SAF in the UK, and to the British government progressing regulatory policy proposals to encourage increased use of SAF.

Furthermore, DHL Express is making use of the Renewable Transport Fuel Certificate (RTFC) incentive program.

Schemes like the RTFC provide support to ramp up SAF in the market, which the Group highly welcomes.

The company already introduced SAF in San Francisco (SFO) and Amsterdam (AMS) and plans to equip more airports with SAF this year.

For the latest from our region, subscribe to Midlands Matters, the official newsletter of the Midlands Engine.