Chinese partners join Air France-KLM Cargo’s SAF program

Air France KLM Martinair Cargo’s (Air France-KLM Cargo) sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) program has new members in Chinese freight forwarders AWOT Global Express, CTS International Logistics Corp., Jobmate International Logistics, Sinotrans Global E-commerce Logistics and Xiamen SuperTrans, which will provide green logistics options on routes connecting China with Europe and South America. [caption id="attachment_95704" align="alignright" width="410"] On May 18, Air France operated an A350-900 flight from Paris (CDG) to Montreal (YUL) using SAFs derived from used cooking oils. Photo/Air France[/caption] Launched in January 2021, the SAF program allows customers to power a portion of their flights using sustainable alternatives to conventional jet fuel, reducing CO2 emissions up to 85%, according to an Air France-KLM Cargo statement. Customers can choose their level of engagement, with the program ensuring that the total investment is used for the sourcing of SAF, according to a June 28 release. Some of these new forwarders to the group are also recent additions to the industry. Guangzhou-based AWOT is a newer freight forwarding company that focuses on China as its home market. It has experience with semiconductors on behalf of the auto industry, as well as with the U.S. market and e-commerce, according to the company website. AWOT is a new entrant to Air Cargo World’ s most recent Power 25 list, ranking at No. 22 in terms of transported airfreight tonnage, having transported 250,000 tonnes of cargo, according to 2020 data. While it was incorporated in 1984, Shanghai-based CTS is also a new entrant to the Power 25, ranking at No. 14 with 398,175 tonnes of cargo transported. The forwarder’s current network spans more than 160 countries and regions, according to the company. Likewise, the network for Xiamen-based SuperTrans spans various countries and regions, including the Americas, Europe and southeast Asia, according to the company. Shanghai-headquartered Jobmate was founded in 2005, and established an online logistics platform to connect local customers to overseas agents, according to the company. Meanwhile, Beijing-based Sinotrans ranked at No. 12 in Air Cargo World’ s most recent Power 25 ranking, transporting 532,300 tonnes based on 2020 airfreight data. It will offer a “green route” between Hangzhou (HGH) and AMS, according to the release. Hellman Logistics’ Middle East and South Asia branch also recently partnered with Air France-KLM Cargo’s SAF Program. Hellman ranked at No. 11 in Air Cargo World’ s most recent Power 25 ranking, with a reported 552,640 tonnes of airfreight transported during 2020. The first freight shipper to join Air France-KLM Cargo’s SAF program in April 2021 was Holland-based sustainable cultivation solution company Koppert Biological Systems. Koppert uses SAF on select international flights carrying its agricultural and horticultural products. Air France-KLM Cargo also partnered with Kuehne+Nagel in Q1 to launch the first carbon-neutral airfreight lane fully covered by SAF, from Los Angeles (LAX) to AMS. Air France-KLM is just one of the growing number of carriers and freight forwarders implementing sustainability initiatives to reduce the airfreight industry's carbon emissions . Sustainable aviation fuels can be made from a variety of renewable sources, including cooking oils, forest residues and waste products, which can then be incorporated into jet fuel without any engine modifications. More than 100 million liters of SAF are expected to be produced in 2021, according to an IATA report. Since 2016, over 300,000 flights from more than 45 airlines have used SAF.

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