State-owned Airports and Auxiliary Services (ASA) will take a central role in developing Mexico's still nascent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) market, with fuel availability becoming one of its top priorities, officials said today.
ASA remains the country's main jet fuel supplier, serving 52 airports and covering over 90pc of the domestic market, infrastructure, communications and transportation minister Jesus Esteva said.
Speaking at an event marking ASA's 60th anniversary, Esteva said the implementation of SAF is "one of the biggest challenges" the government faces in the aviation sector, and that ASA must lead efforts to expand supply.
"ASA aims to boost the use of clean energy, leading the sustainable transition for Mexico's aviation sector through the development and ongoing implementation of SAF," said ASA director Carlos Merino. The initiative seeks to reduce aviation's carbon footprint while maintaining service quality and efficiency, he added.
ASA announced last year the launch of a pilot project to blend imported SAF with conventional jet fuel, with a long-term goal of producing SAF entirely in Mexico by 2030. For now, imports — most likely from the US — remain necessary.
Mexico is participating in the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) Corsia scheme, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from international flights. Corsia includes a voluntary phase from 2024-2026, followed by mandatory targets from 2027-2035.
Under the scheme, airlines must either use SAF or offset emissions by purchasing carbon credits, with exemptions for underdeveloped countries and those with minimal global air traffic.
Sustainability will become increasingly important as Mexico's aviation sector grows, said Miguel Vallin, head of the federal civil aviation agency AFAC. Passenger traffic is projected to rise from 124mn in 2025 to 151mn in 2030 — an average annual increase of 3.3pc.
ASA operates 52 jet fuel storage terminals across Mexico, with annual sales of around 5.4bn l (93,000 b/d), Esteva said.
The government holds a monopoly over Mexico's jet fuel market, with ASA and state-owned Pemex supplying most of the market, with indirect participation of other companies.
Jet fuel was the last oil product market opened to more competition in Mexico after constitutional changes in 2014, but progress stalled under the administration of former president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Under President Claudia Sheinbaum, the government has kept the jet fuel market under close state oversight.
