Major SAF Milestone for Asia: DHL Express to procure 9.5 million litres of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from Neste, marking one of the largest SAF air cargo deals in Asia.
Significant Emissions Reduction: SAF to cover 35–40% of fuel needs for DHL’s Changi-based Boeing 777 fleet, reducing lifecycle emissions by up to 80%.
Strategic Boost for Singapore’s Green Goals: Deal supports Singapore’s 1% SAF mandate for flights from 2026 and aligns with DHL’s Strategy 2030 growth in “New Energy.”
DHL Express and Neste have signed a landmark agreement that will see 9.5 million litres (7,400 metric tons) of Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel™ supplied from July 2025 to June 2026. The SAF will be produced locally at Neste’s Singapore refinery—currently the world’s largest SAF production facility—and used to power DHL’s intercontinental Boeing 777 freighters operating out of Changi Airport.
“This partnership with Neste to procure and uplift SAF for DHL Express’ international air cargo flights from Singapore is a significant milestone for us,” said Christopher Ong, Managing Director for DHL Express Singapore. “Not only will it enable us to gain new strides in emissions reduction in air transport, but it also allows us to strengthen our commitment to customers to provide more sustainable shipping options.”
Under the agreement, SAF will account for 35% to 40% of the total fuel consumption for DHL’s five Changi-based aircraft, which depart 12 times weekly to destinations across Asia and the Americas. This is DHL’s first SAF procurement for international flights departing from Singapore.
Neste will deliver the SAF—blended with conventional jet fuel—through Singapore Changi Airport’s fuel distribution infrastructure using its integrated supply chain. The SAF reduces greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 80% over its lifecycle compared to fossil jet fuel.
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“We are excited to expand our cooperation with DHL to Singapore, a leading aviation hub in Asia Pacific,” said Carl Nyberg, Senior Vice President Commercial, Renewable Products at Neste. “It demonstrates how we are working together with DHL globally to help the company achieve its air transportation decarbonization targets using a solution that is available at scale today.”
The deal significantly advances Singapore’s Green Plan 2030 and supports the nation’s target of 1% SAF usage for all flights—both cargo and passenger—by 2026.
Globally, DHL Express is one of the largest users of SAF, operating sustainable flights through hubs in Amsterdam, Stockholm, Brussels, East Midlands, Los Angeles, Leipzig, Miami, San Francisco, Stansted, and Nagoya. In 2022, the company launched GoGreen Plus, an industry-first service enabling customers to “inset” Scope 3 emissions via SAF, using a book-and-claim model that delivers real decarbonization benefits across the value chain.
In Singapore, DHL has also made strides on the ground, converting its last-mile delivery fleet to electric vehicles—now the largest commercial EV van fleet in the country with 100 vehicles.
DHL Group’s Strategy 2030 highlights “New Energy” as a key growth pillar. The Group is building end-to-end logistics solutions for the sustainable energy sector, including wind, solar, EV batteries, charging infrastructure, energy storage systems, alternative fuels, and hydrogen.
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