Bollore, United agree to purchase SAF

France-based forwarder Bollore Logistics and U.S. combination carrier United Airlines on July 20 signed an agreement to purchase 3 million liters of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The SAF will cover routes operated by Bollore in all geographical areas, reducing the forwarder’s “scope 3” greenhouse gas emissions by at least 6,500 tonnes of carbon, according to today’s release. Further, the SAF – which will be provided by United – works alongside Bollore’s AIRsaf offer launched in July 2021, according to the release. In addition to SAF, Bollore’s AIRsaf offer also includes an “end-to-end sustainable approach,” according to the forwarder’s website. This includes sustainable pre- and post-carriage procedures, and plastic and waste reduction efforts in warehouses and shipments, including reusable transport packaging. [caption id="attachment_95084" align="alignright" width="507"] Photo/United Cargo[/caption] The SAF will be made from wastes such as yellow grease, a Bollore spokesperson told Air Cargo World . "United works with six SAF producers, two of which are producing SAF today: World Energy based and delivered in Los Angeles and Neste located in Finland [which is] delivered to United [at Amsterdam] AMS," a United spokesperson told Air Cargo World . "Both produce SAF from waste fats, oils and greases." They further noted that the SAF will be delivered in 2022 and a portion of 2023. United has been using SAF in its everyday operations since 2016, Aaron Robinson, senior manager of environmental strategy and sustainability, said during a panel at the Air Cargo Tech Summit 2022 . “For us, that near-term goal over the next year or so is scaling up our sustainable fuel use from these token 1-million-gallon levels per year we had started in 2016,” Robinson said during the panel. “It’s a lot more than any of us will individually use, but in the big picture, it’s not a huge number. We’re looking to scale that 20 times in the next year, so really getting this upward velocity we need and this momentum to really press forward and make some real significant and lasting change.” The green transition While United aims to reduce 100% of its greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 without the use of carbon offsets, Bollore intends to slash its scope 3 transport-related carbon emissions by 30% by 2030. Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions include emissions in an organization’s value chain, such as business travel or general transportation and distribution. In turn, Bollore has been partnering with fellow industry stakeholders to drive its green commitment. In June Bollore and Luxembourg-based carrier Cargolux secured an agreement to purchase 800,000 liters of SAF . That same month the forwarder and U.K.-based IAG Cargo partnered to purchase 1 million liters of SAF sourced from the Phillips 66 Humber refinery in the U.K. One shipment was expected to be delivered in July with the second in November. Bollore and its partners are not the only partnerships to drive SAF use and sustainability efforts in the airfreight industry. Earlier this month Lufthansa Group signed a memorandum of understanding with Shell to receive up to 1.8 tonnes of SAF over a seven-year period . Meanwhile in March DHL Express partnered with fuel producers BP and Neste to purchase more than 800 million liters of SAF over the next five years. United Airlines also has been ramping up its sustainability efforts, and in April 2021 launched its Eco-Skies Alliance program which Bollore joined in December 2021 . Bollore ranked No. 10 in Air Cargo World ’s Power 25 ranking of the world’s top freight forwarders, based on 2021 tonnage. United Airlines ranked No. 21 in Air Cargo World’ s most recent Freight 50 , based on 2020 tonnage. Join Air Cargo World for our next webinar, “Forward Thinking: Best practices for freight forwarder success,” on Tuesday, Sept. 13, at 11 a.m. ET. Click here for more information and to register. This story has been updated with comments from Bollore and United.

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