Neste, ITOCHU, and GS Caltex have collaborated to make the first batch of CORSIA-eligible, ISCC-certified sustainable aviation fuel available for purchase at Narita International Airport in Japan. This marks the first time CORSIA-certified SAF has been made available for airlines’ regular purchases at a commercial scale, well ahead of CORSIA’s mandatory phase set to begin in 2027.
As part of this collaboration, Neste supplied over 1,000 tonnes of neat (unblended) CORSIA-eligible and ISCC-certified Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel™ to GS Caltex’s refinery in Yeosu, South Korea, where it was blended with conventional jet fuel. This is the first instance of SAF being blended locally in South Korea. The blended SAF was then transported to Japan, where ITOCHU supplied it to the fuel storage facilities at Narita International Airport. The initial batch of SAF is being offered to All Nippon Airlines and Japan Airlines.
Photo: The ship delivering the blended CORSIA-certified SAF at Chiba port in Japan. Source: ITOCHU
Alexander Kueper, vice president of the renewable aviation business at Neste, stated, “Sustainable aviation fuel is a readily available solution for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from air travel. CORSIA-eligible SAF provides airlines like ANA and JAL an opportunity to credibly reduce aviation emissions. This milestone shows how we are working together with partners like ITOCHU and GS Caltex, as well as local governments, to develop supply chains for SAF and make the fuel more readily available in the Asia-Pacific region and globally.”
Tetsuya Yamada, executive officer and chief operating officer of the Energy Division at ITOCHU Corporation, added, “In collaboration with Neste and GS Caltex, we have successfully established a groundbreaking supply chain for the delivery of CORSIA-eligible fuel to airports in Japan. This initiative will significantly contribute to resolving the aviation fuel shortage in Japan and marks a pivotal step towards the decarbonisation of the aviation industry.”
S. H. Lee, executive vice president and head of the Supply & Trading Business Unit at GS Caltex, echoed this sentiment, noting, “This collaboration demonstrates how working together can help achieve aviation’s net-zero carbon emissions goal. Neste, ITOCHU, and GS Caltex have built a new value chain based on their respective expertise, with support from the Korean and Japanese governments. By ensuring a stable supply of CORSIA-eligible SAF ahead of the 2027 mandatory phase, we are helping airlines take further steps to reduce their carbon emissions.”
The CORSIA-eligible SAF marks a significant step forward in decarbonising aviation. CORSIA, developed by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, is a global scheme aimed at reducing CO2 emissions from international aviation. It offers a harmonised approach to curbing the industry’s impact on climate change. Airlines can use certified SAF, such as Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel™, to meet CORSIA’s emission reduction requirements. By using unblended Neste MY SAF, airlines can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% over the fuel’s life cycle compared to conventional jet fuel.
This development highlights the collective efforts of Neste, ITOCHU, and GS Caltex in contributing to the aviation industry’s decarbonisation, not only in Japan and Korea but globally.
For more information visit www.neste.com
