Air France KLM Martinair Cargo Launches World’s First SAF Programme for the Airfreight Industry

Air France KLM Martinair Cargo has launched the world's first sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) programme for the airfreight industry, enabling freight forwarders and shippers to participate in reducing CO₂ emissions of the aviation sector. By investing in the Cargo SAF Programme, customers will not only help pioneer the use of SAF in our industry, but will also scale up the SAF market, contributing to a cleaner future for air transport.

"Our commitment to reducing CO₂ emissions is one of the cornerstones of our cargo strategy. The launch of a SAF programme for airfreight is an important step in our ambitious sustainability roadmap for the coming years. I invite all our customers to join us in creating a more sustainable cargo future." said Adriaan den Heijer, EVP of Air France-KLM Cargo & Managing Director of Martinair.

SAF - a key instrument in reducing CO₂ emissions

The first step towards a carbon-free future is carbon-neutral growth in our industry, which implies there should be no increase in CO₂ emissions despite traffic growth. Investing in SAF is a necessary step in this process and one of the primary instruments in reducing CO₂ emissions. For years, Air France and KLM have led the way in terms of fuel efficiency and seeking alternative fuel solutions. KLM operated the world's first commercial flight using SAF on 29 June 2011, with a flight from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol to Paris Charles de Gaulle, Air France the same year operated its first flight from Toulouse to Paris in the framework of Paris Air Show-Le Bourget. Shortly thereafter, we began offering our corporate customers the option of a more sustainable business travel by supporting innovative developments in SAF.

SAF is still not widely available. That is why we have set up this programme for shippers and forwarders, to stimulate and enlarge the market for SAF. Your investment will help to further develop this market and also to put SAF higher on the agenda of all stakeholders. This new programme will enable us to team up with shippers and forwarders who share our commitment to sustainability, making SAF more widely available at a more reasonable price, competing with standard jet fuel.

Customers determine level of engagement

This Cargo SAF Programme enables shippers and forwarders to operate flights with a percentage of SAF*. Customers determine their own level of engagement and we ensure that their entire investment is used for sourcing SAF. When contributing to the use of SAF, our customers receive a third-party audited report, justifying the purchased volume of SAF in relation to traffic and indicating the reduction in CO₂ emissions achieved. By joining the Cargo SAF Programme, our customers not only participate to CO₂ emissions reduction, but also confirm their commitment to leading the industry towards a more sustainable future. Only with the support of all industry stakeholders can we successfully develop a more viable market for SAF.

*via a book and claim system