DHL Express and Dubai-based SAF developer SAF One announced the signing of a offtake agreement, bringing which is claimed to be the first sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production facility in the Middle East into DHL's global SAF supply network.

Under the agreement and as a key customer for the facility, DHL Express will receive long term access to 25,000 metric tonnes of unblended (neat) SAF per year - a total of 250,000 metric tonnes over a ten-year term from start of production, planned from 2028.

The SAF will be produced at SAF One's plant in Bahrain, enabling measurable lifecycle CO2e reductions across DHL's regional and intercontinental air network, and support DHL's aim to increase the use of sustainable aviation fuels to 30 per cent by 2030.

"We are proud to see the Middle East playing a central role in the global shift toward emission-reduced aviation," said Abdulaziz Busbate, CEO DHL Express MENA. "Partnering with SAF One allows us to accelerate regional decarbonisation, strengthen local innovation ecosystems, and offer our customers credible and transparent emission reduced shipping solutions. This agreement symbolises our long-standing commitment to Bahrain and across the region."

"By integrating the first SAF plant in the Middle East into our global supply chain, we are taking another major step toward making sustainable aviation the new normal," Travis Cobb, EVP Global Network Operations & Aviation at DHL Express, added. "This agreement not only expands our SAF footprint geographically but also strengthens our resilience by diversifying our sourcing. Collaborating with SAF One demonstrates how regional innovation can deliver global climate impact."

"We are grateful to DHL Express for entering into this offtake agreement with us, which is an important step toward bringing a landmark sustainable aviation fuel facility to the Middle East." said Deepak Munganahalli, Co-Founder & CEO, SAF One.  "We would also like to thank all stakeholders in Bahrain who actively supported this project, including BAPCO Energies and the Bahrain Economic Development Board."

The SAF One production facility in Bahrain represents one of the most advanced SAF plants in the region, utilising renewable feedstocks and next generation refining technologies designed to deliver high quality, scalable, and certified sustainable aviation fuel.

DHL Express' long-term offtake agreement provides crucial demand market stability and supports the continued growth of clean energy infrastructure across the Middle East.

The SAF supplied under this agreement will be allocated globally through a verified book and claim model, enabling customers to reduce Scope 3 emissions even on routes not directly fuelled with SAF.

To ensure these emission reductions are transparently delivered to customers, DHL integrates the SAF volumes into its decarbonisation offering through GoGreen Plus.

DHL's GoGreen Plus products provide decarbonised solutions across its core offerings by leveraging sustainable fuels and low carbon technologies.

The products are based on true value chain decarbonisation enabled by the "book and claim" approach.

Book and claim allows DHL to directly replace fossil fuels with sustainable fuels within its network and allocate the environmental benefits to paying customers, even when their shipments are not physically transported using assets powered by these fuels.

GoGreen Plus enables customers to reduce indirect Scope 3 emissions arising from upstream and downstream transportation and distribution, while also supporting voluntary greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting and progress against their decarbonisation targets. -TradeArabia News Service