Itochu delivers Neste SAF to Etihad Airways in Japan

Japanese trading firm Itochu has supplied Neste's branded sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to the UAE's national carrier Etihad airways at Japan's Narita international airport. This marks the first SAF delivery to an overseas airline in Japan.

The delivery on 27 May came out of a recently expanded collaboration between Finnish firm Neste and Itochu to distribute SAF at the Tokyo Haneda and Narita international airports. The firms previously collaborated to deliver SAF to Japan's All Nippon Airways in October 2020.

Etihad Airways has committed to reach net zero emissions by 2050 and reduce its emissions by 50pc by 2035 from 2019 levels.

"For SAF to become a viable mid-term solution for aviation decarbonisation it requires collaboration between governments, corporates and the aviation industry to increase SAF supply… at airports," Etihad chief executive Tony Douglas said. "Our partnership with Itochu and Neste is an example of the type of industry collaboration that is required."

By Lauren Moffitt