GS Caltex Sources First-ever Sustainable Aviation Fuel from Neste for Korean Air Cargo Flight to LA

GS Caltex introduces a sustainable aviation transition, procuring Finland's Neste renewable fuel for a Korean Air cargo flight to Los Angeles. This historic collaboration marks the first foreign-sourced SAF for domestic Korean use.

Korea's second-largest refiner, GS Caltex, secured the SAF supply from Neste, the world's leading producer of renewable diesel and jet fuel derived from waste and residues. In a statement, GS Caltex acknowledged this achievement but declined to disclose the deal's value or supply volumes.

The Korean Air cargo plane, departing from Incheon International Airport, will fill 2 percent of its fuel tank with SAF before embarking on its journey to Los Angeles at 5:45 p.m. local time.

Expressing his enthusiasm for this cross-border collaboration, Sami Jauhiainen, the acting executive vice president at Neste's renewable aviation business unit, stated that this marks the first time that their SAF has been delivered to Korea and that they look forward to further expanding their cooperation with both Korean Air and GS Caltex in the future."

In line with this, GS Caltex actively seeks opportunities to supply renewable jet fuel to other domestic airlines. Meanwhile, Korean Air has committed to conducting six demonstration flights using SAF on cargo planes destined for Los Angeles by November.

The success of these demonstration flights will aid the government in establishing essential standards regarding renewable aviation fuel quality, safety, and fuel efficiency, as stated by Korean Air.

It's worth noting that Korean Air has been utilizing SAF on its passenger jets flying between Paris and Incheon since February last year, aligning with global efforts to curb carbon emissions. However, SAF is not currently employed on passenger flights from Incheon to Paris.

Renewable aviation fuel, a viable and sustainable alternative to conventional fossil-based jet fuel, garners international recognition as a crucial solution for achieving emission reduction objectives within the aviation industry. The benefits of sustainable aviation fuel will ultimately contribute to the sector's ambitious emission reduction goals.

Photo: Korean Air Newsroom