Etihad Airways operated its first flight with a 40% blend of SAF, supplied by ITOCHU Corporation and NESTE from Tokyo’s Narita airport, making Etihad the first international airline to procure SAF in Japan.
Cassie Mackie, Vice President of Procurement & Supply Chain, at Etihad Airways, said: “The aviation industry needs partnerships like the one we have created with ITOCHU and NESTE to bring widespread SAF adoption to the industry. We are extremely proud to be the first international airline to procure and use Japanese-supplied SAF on flights departing Japan and to see this partnership take to the air.”
In December 2021, the Japanese government announced the goal of replacing 10% of aviation fuel consumption by Japanese airlines with SAF by 2030. To achieve this goal, ITOCHU established a SAF supply network at Japanese domestic airports across the country for Japanese domestic carriers, which is now being expanded to international carriers, starting with Etihad.
“Etihad is committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 and reducing our 2019 emissions by 50 percent by 2035. The industry must get serious about decarbonization and this type of collaboration between governments, corporates, and the aviation sector, which increases SAF supply and availability at airports, helps pave the way for broader adoption,” added Mackie.
ITOCHU has already established a domestic SAF supply chain at Haneda and Narita International Airports, spanning from SAF import and quality control to delivery to airports, as well as a refueling network for the aircraft.