DHL Global Forwarding and Air France KLM Martinair Cargo (AFKLMP) have signed a new agreement to advance the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
The three-year framework contract, covering 2025–2027, builds on the existing partnership established by the companies in 2022 and emphasises the development of book-and-claim models to advance sustainable airfreight solutions.
For 2025 alone, the partnership includes a reduction target of 35,000 tons of CO₂-equivalent. This renewed agreement represents the largest annual SAF partnership AFKLMP Cargo has signed to date.
Additional SAF volumes and related emissions reductions for 2026 and 2027 will be defined as the partnership progresses.
The renewed contract builds on the three-year agreement under which DHL reduced 77,595 tons of CO₂-equivalent between 2022 and 2024. This collaboration also enabled DHL customers to work towards their science-based carbon-reduction targets through its GoGreen Plus service.
GoGreen Plus was launched by DHL Express in 2023 and uses CO2-insetting and SAF to enable customers to reduce the CO2e emissions associated with their freight.
Both DHL AFKLMP said they share the goal of further developing book-and-claim models to ensure businesses of all sizes have access to reliable and scalable emission reductions, even if sustainable fuels and technologies are not yet physically available on their trade lanes.
As part of the new agreement, DHL Global Forwarding recently signed a work order for 35,000 metric tons of CO₂e WTW (Well-to-Wheel) emission reduction rights.
Henk Venema, executive vice president of global airfreight at DHL Global Forwarding, said: “Emission Reduction Rights provide predictability, scalability, and transparency – three critical factors for sustainable aviation fuels to make a real impact within the market.”
GertJan Roelands, senior commercial at Air France KLM Martinair Cargo, added: “Our shared ambition and continued collaboration on SAF are fundamental to scaling the solutions needed to reduce the carbon footprint of the airfreight industry.”
