Cathay Pacific first overseas SAF refuel

Cathay Pacific has refuelled commercial flights for the first time outside its Hong Kong hub with Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), blended and supplied by ExonnMobil Asia Pacific.

Four cargo aircraft were refuelled with blended SAF from June  7th to 30th at Singapore Changi Airport, on flights  to Hong Kong and Penang. The neat SAF was created from 100% used cooking oil, part of the HEFA feedstock pathway.

“This is an important milestone for Cathay Pacific and our ambition to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050,” said Ronald Lam, CEO, Cathay Group. “By expanding the uplift of blended SAF onto selected commercial flights at Changi Airport as well as our home hub, we hope to strengthen SAF awareness across the Asia Pacific region and send a strong signal to the supply chain that there is firm demand for SAF from airlines.”

Ong Shwu Hoon, vice president, Asia Pacific Fuels, ExxonMobil Asia Pacific said: “We are pleased to collaborate with Cathay Pacific for the successful deliveries of certified SAF in Singapore. ExxonMobil remains focused on growing our lower GHG [green house gas] emission fuels business to support the decarbonisation goals of the aviation industry, leveraging our operational and logistical capabilities.”

This comes as part of Cathay Pacific’s commitment to ensure  SAF accounts for 10% of total fuel usage by 2050. The airline launched the Cathay Pacific Corporate SAF Programme in 2022, the first such programme in Asia, to help boost SAF use on its flights.