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DB Schenker Signs Commitment to Cathay's Corporate SAF Programme
DB Schenker has officially announced its participation in Cathay's Corporate SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) Programme, aiming to advance sustainability in the logistics industry by partnering to reduce emissions in cargo shipments.
To help tackle climate change, Cathay Pacific established a Corporate SAF Programme in 2022. It enables members to purchase SAF for uplift on Cathay Pacific and Cathay Cargo flights, from Hong Kong and other ports on the network. By joining and committing to buy 878 metric tons of SAF (the equivalent of 290,000 US gallons), DB Schenker has become one of the biggest contributors to the scheme to date, which demonstrated its commitment to sustainable logistics.
Thorsten Meincke, Global Board Member for Air and Ocean Freight at DB Schenker, said: "By partnering with Cathay Pacific on SAF, we are reinforcing our sustainability commitment and leadership in the skies. The collaboration underlines our environmental stewardship in air cargo and supports the global push for SAF by increasing demand for it across more regions across the globe, which will ultimately contribute to a more sustainable future."
Cathay Director Cargo Tom Owen added: "We are delighted to welcome DB Schenker as the newest member of the Cathay Corporate SAF Programme – and one of the biggest contributors to date. It is great to have this level of support from such an important player in the air cargo industry to work with us in decarbonizing aviation. By replacing conventional jet fuel with sustainable aviation fuel, DB Schenker's commitment is the equivalent of saving more than 2,600 tonnes in CO2 emissions. This powerfully conveys the message that there is real and growing demand for SAF and this partnership is testament to the collaborative ethos of Greener Together, as we move one step closer to the goal of a more sustainable air cargo industry."
In the logistics sector, warehousing, packaging, and transportation consume large amounts of energy and generate significant greenhouse gases (GHG). Optimizing energy consumption to reduce carbon emissions is a pressing issue for logistics companies. As one of the world's leading logistics service providers, DB Schenker is actively investing in sustainable fuels for air freight through various initiatives to create green logistics solutions.
In cooperation with Lufthansa Cargo, DB Schenker launched a carbon-neutral flight between Frankfurt and Shanghai in November 2020, marking the world's first CO2-neutral freighter rotation between Europe and Asia. These cargo flights were fully covered by sustainable aviation fuel, saving approximately 174 metric tons of conventional kerosene per week. Now, DB Schenker's carbon-neutral flights have attracted many large-scale enterprises and expanded to numerous global routes, fostering the creation of green supply chains.
DB Schenker is also promoting the transition to renewable energy sources for land transport and ocean freight, striving for a green future in clean logistics:
- By 2023, DB Schenker, in collaboration with domestic carriers, has introduced more than 80 new energy vehicles (NEVs), including its own 49 NEVs, in major cities across the Greater China region to minimize the carbon footprint of transportation. DB Schenker aims to have NEVs comprise 75% of its urban distribution fleet by 2025, contributing to the development of a green urban distribution network.
- DB Schenker has secured an arrangement with MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company to use 12,000 metric tons of biofuel for all its consolidated cargo, less-than-container load (LCL), and other cargo types. This biofuel purchase is sufficient to save an additional 35,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalents (CO2e), enabling the shipment of approximately 30,000 standard containers (TEU) with net-zero CO2 emissions. Additionally, DB Schenker has signed a biofuel agreement with Hapag-Lloyd, committing to use at least 1,000 tonnes of pure biofuel for container transports to decarbonize supply chains.