Japan Airlines announces signing of SAF agreements with Neste OYJ and Itochu Corporation.
The JAL Group is ramping up its commitment to sustainability, transforming air travel into a source of delight and pride through efforts such as striving for net zero emissions by 2050.
As a part of these efforts, Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. (JAL) has signed agreements with Neste OYJ (Head Office: Espoo, Finland, hereinafter Neste)(*1), the largest renewable fuels producer in the world and Itochu Corporation (Head Office: Tokyo, Japan, Hereinafter Itochu), Neste’s branded distributor in Japan, on the procurement of SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel).
Three initiatives driven with Neste and Itochu ]
- As an initiative out of Japan, JAL will uplift Neste’s SAF based on the agreement with Neste on a scheduled flight departing Los Angeles International Airport i n November 2022 .
- As an initiative within Japan, JAL will uplift Neste’s SAF based on the agreement with Itochu on JAL’s first Sustainable Charter Flight (*2) which will operate on November 18 2022.
- As an initiative going forward, JAL and Itochu have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to discuss on the procurement and supply of SAF during the fiscal year 2023.
By the end of first quarter 2023, Neste plans to start SAF production in its Singapore plant which is anticipated to have an annual production capacity of 1 million tonnes. JAL seeks to continue its cooperation with Neste and Itochu to procure SAF both globally a nd domestically.
（*1） Neste OYJ:
The largest renewable fuels producer in the world, currently producing approximately 100,000 tons of SAF annually. Neste plans to produce 1.5 million tons of SAF by the end of the year 2023 and 2.2 million tons of SAF by the first half of the year 2026 respectively by expanding its producing capabilities in Finland, the Netherlands and Singapore.
（*2） Press Release made on October 6, 2022 “Japan Airlines to Operate First Passenger Flight in Japan with Net Zero CO2 Emissions” https://press.jal.co.jp/en/release/202210/006953.html
[ Towards net zero emissions by 2050 ]
The agreements mentioned herein promotes JAL’s procurement and utilization of SAF in order to achieve its goals to replace to SAF 1% of the whole fuel amount by fiscal year 2025 and 10% of the whole fuel amount by fiscal year 2030 respectively (*3). JAL has already signed future SAF offtake agreements in the US airports together with the oneworld alliance members and the agreements with Neste and Itochu will add momentum to
JAL’s procurement and utilization of SAF.
JAL will continue to accelerate both individual procurements and joint procurements with the oneworld alliance to uplift SAF globally and advance the commercialization, promotion and expansion of the domestically produced SAF through the ACT FOR SKY (*4) activities.
Furthermore, the JAL Group aims to take actions such as introducing new inflight meals and reducing the use of plastics to ensure Sustainable Development Goals are pursued by the group.
（*3） Press Release made on May 06, 2022 “JAL Group Medium-Term Management Plan Formulated the Rolling Plan 2022”
https://press.jal.co.jp/en/release/202205/006653.html
（*4） Press Release made on Mar 02, 2022 “Establishment of “ACT FOR SKY” a voluntary organization working for the Commercialization, Promotion and Expansion of Domestically Produced SAF” https://press.jal.co.jp/en/release/202203/006561.html
Japan Airlines announces signing of SAF agreements with Neste OYJ and Itochu Corporation, November 7, 2022
