China launches commercial SAF use in air cargo

China is launching a commercial programme to use sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in air cargo operations. The project brings together EcoCeres, logistics company SF Group and China National Aviation Fuel (CNAF), with the participation of a research institute under the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

Under the programme, EcoCeres will produce SAF, which will then be blended by CNAF and supplied to outbound cargo flights operated by SF Airlines. According to EcoCeres, the fuel can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90% compared with conventional jet fuel.

Ezhou Huahu International Airport in Hubei province, a major cargo hub for SF Airlines, will serve as one of the key locations for the programme. The companies see the project as a model that could eventually be scaled up for wider SAF use across China’s air cargo and logistics sectors.

The new programme follows EcoCeres’ previous SAF pilot project in China. During its initial phase, SAF produced at the company’s Zhangjiagang facility was blended by CNAF and used to fuel commercial flights at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport.

Expanding SAF use creates an additional growth area for China’s biofuel market. In addition to aviation fuel, EcoCeres produces HVO and bio-naphtha at industrial scale, while further SAF development could eventually generate additional demand for biofuel feedstocks.

Tags: China, cargo, SAF