TotalEnergies to supply DHL with 5 mln liters of sustainable aviation fuel in France

Logistics company DHL Express has signed an agreement with TotalEnergies to supply 5 mln liters of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) over one year for cargo flights departing from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. The contract can be renewed annually and marks the first use of SAF by an express logistics operator at the airport. The first DHL aircraft using sustainable aviation fuel operated a flight on November 11, 2026.

Sustainable aviation fuel is produced from waste and residual feedstocks, including used cooking oil, animal fats and other biological materials. Depending on the feedstock and production technology, SAF can reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 80% compared with conventional jet fuel. It can also be used within existing aviation infrastructure without requiring major modifications to aircraft.

According to DHL estimates, the use of 5 mln liters of SAF in France will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 11.8 thsd tons of CO₂ equivalent annually. The fuel will be used on flights from Paris to the company’s logistics hubs in Leipzig, Casablanca, Milan and London. In 2025, SAF already accounted for 10% of the aviation fuel consumed by DHL’s own aircraft fleet.

For TotalEnergies, the agreement forms part of its strategy to expand alternative aviation fuel production and shift refining capacity toward lower-carbon products. Growing SAF demand creates additional opportunities for processing used cooking oils and other biological feedstocks. However, the companies have not specified which feedstocks will be used to produce the fuel supplied under this particular contract.

DHL plans to incorporate the purchased SAF volumes into its GoGreen Plus program, which enables customers to reduce indirect emissions associated with international transportation. The environmental benefits will be allocated among participating customers through a book-and-claim emissions accounting mechanism. Expanding SAF use in Europe is expected to support the development of alternative fuel markets and demand for renewable feedstocks used in their production.

Tags: DHL, France, sustainable aviation fuel