Qatari national air carrier Qatar Airways Group has announced that it has signed a deal with Shell Aviation, part of global oil, gas, and energy major Shell plc, to source 3 000 tonnes of neat sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) in the Netherlands.
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According to a statement, the agreement encompasses the existing jet fuel contract with Shell at Amsterdam which will now see Qatar Airways Group using at least a 5 percent SAF blend over the contract period for the fiscal year 2023-2024.
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, said HE Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways Group.
The Qatar Airways bilateral agreement with Shell is part of a wider effort initiated by the oneworld alliance, which has a set target of using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for 10 percent of combined fuel volumes by 2030.
We remain steadfast in our ambitious target of 10 percent SAF use by 2030 and this announcement establishes another landmark for Qatar Airways that underlines the positive outcome of the industry’s collaboration which is critical to accelerating the SAF supply and achieving our target. SAF is still 3 to 5 times more expensive than fossil-based jet fuel. This is why it is essential for all stakeholders to play their part in facilitating research & development of SAF facilities, enhancing economies of scale, providing financing, and placing supportive policies, HE Akbar Al Baker said.
First beyond mandates
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 decarbonization as neat SAF can reduce full lifecycle emissions by up to 80 percent compared to conventional fossil jet fuel.
This means that Qatar Airways will be reducing its emissions on flights from Amsterdam by approximately 7 500 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) for the fiscal year.
Qatar Airways and Shell have a history of collaboration, so it is fantastic to now work together on decarbonization as we supply them with SAF for the first time. SAF is a key lever for decarbonizing 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 net zero said Jan Toschka, President of Shell Aviation.
Passengers and customers of Qatar Airways are able today to compensate for their flight emissions through the purchase of high-quality carbon credits, credited under International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) criteria, the UN’s aviation body.
Qatar Airways Group currently invests in carbon credit projects that generate renewable energy, which helps in reducing carbon emissions.
The air carrier Group is also working on introducing a solution that will allow passengers and customers to offset their emissions by contributing to the cost of SAF.
