Korean Air Signs SAF-Related MOU with Shell

(04/10/22)  Korean Air has signed a memorandum of understanding to purchase sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from Shell.

The MOU explores the supply and purchase of SAF from Shell at major airports in Asia Pacific and the Middle East from 2026 for a period of five years.

SAF is non-conventional aviation fuel derived from alternative raw materials such as cooking oil waste, household waste and industrial waste gas. From production to consumption, sustainably-produced SAF is reported to reduce carbon footprint up to 80% compared to existing fossil-derived aviation fuel.

Korean Air aircraft. Picture by Steven Howard of TravelNewsAsia.com

While efforts to boost SAF production and distribution has gained momentum from targeted investment and policy support in the U.S. and the EU, the shortage of production facilities and high costs, supply falls short of expected demand.

The airline has said that it will work with Shell and continue to expand cooperation with other global oil companies to secure a SAF supply for other regions including Europe and the U.S.

In November 2017, Korean Air became the first Korean airline to use SAF on a flight departing from Chicago to Incheon. In February of this year, the airline also started using SAF on flights from Paris to Incheon.

Last year, the airline partnered with Korea’s leading petroleum and refinery companies, Hyundai Oilbank and SK Energy, to adopt SAF and carbon-neutral jet fuel, respectively.

Korean Air also signed a MOU with Incheon International Airport Corporation (IIAC), Airbus and Air Liquide in February to cooperate on supplying aviation hydrogen fuel and developing relevant infrastructure in Korea.

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