DHL Express and Dubai-based next generation SAF developer SAF One today announced the signing of a landmark offtake agreement, bringing the first sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production facility in the Middle East into DHL’s global SAF supply network.
Under the agreement and as a key customer for the facility, DHL Express will receive long term access to 25,000 metric tons of unblended (neat) SAF per year – a total of 250,000 metric tons over a ten-year term from the start of production, planned from 2028.
The SAF will be produced at SAF One’s flagship plant in Bahrain, enabling measurable lifecycle CO2e reductions across DHL’s regional and intercontinental air network, and supporting DHL’s aim to increase the use of sustainable aviation fuels to 30 per cent by 2030.
Abdulaziz Busbate, CEO of DHL Express MENA said: “We are proud to see the Middle East playing a central role in the global shift toward emission-reduced aviation.
Partnering with SAF One allows us to accelerate regional decarbonization, strengthen local innovation ecosystems, and offer our customers credible and transparent emission-reduced shipping solutions. This agreement symbolises our long-standing commitment to Bahrain and across the region.”
Travis Cobb, EVP Global Network Operations & Aviation at DHL Express, added: “By integrating the first SAF plant in the Middle East into our global supply chain, we are taking another major step toward making sustainable aviation the new normal.
“This agreement not only expands our SAF footprint geographically but also strengthens our resilience by diversifying our sourcing. Collaborating with SAF One demonstrates how regional innovation can deliver global climate impact.”
Deepak Munganahalli, Co-Founder & CEO, SAF One, said: “We are grateful to DHL Express for entering into this offtake agreement with us, which is an important step toward bringing a landmark sustainable aviation fuel facility to the Middle East.
“We would also like to thank all stakeholders in Bahrain who actively supported this project, including BAPCO Energies and the Bahrain Economic Development Board.”