DHL Express and global energy major TotalEnergies have signed a landmark purchase agreement introducing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) into DHL’s express logistics operations at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG).
The renewable one-year agreement covers the supply of 5 million litres of SAF to power DHL Express cargo aircraft departing from its regional hub at Paris CDG. Flights operating with the sustainable fuel blend will connect the Paris hub to major European and North African air hubs, including Leipzig, Casablanca, Milan, and London.
The agreement marks the first use of SAF by an express logistics operator at Paris CDG and coincides with the fifth anniversary of DHL’s €170 million regional facility at the airport. The deployment is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 11,800 metric tonnes of CO₂ equivalent annually on a lifecycle basis.
Key operational, environmental, and corporate metrics of the initiative include:
- Fuel volume and emissions: Supply of 5 million litres of SAF over one year, cutting lifecycle CO₂e emissions by roughly 11,800 metric tonnes.
- Network integration: SAF-powered flights operate directly from Paris CDG to key international hubs in Leipzig, Casablanca, Milan, and London.
- Fleet decarbonisation: Advances DHL Group’s global aviation benchmark, where SAF accounted for 10 per cent of total fuel usage across its owned aircraft fleet in 2025.
- Customer allocation: Environmental benefits will be passed to commercial clients via DHL’s GoGreen Plus service using a certified book-and-claim mechanism to reduce Scope 3 supply chain emissions.
- Ground infrastructure: Integrates with DHL Express France’s 100 per cent electric owned light commercial vehicle fleet, supporting DHL Group’s target of achieving two-thirds last-mile electrification by 2030.
Travis Cobb, Executive Vice President of Global Network Operations & Aviation at DHL Express, stated that the partnership supports the company’s global strategy to decarbonise express transport networks and assist enterprise clients in lowering indirect transport emissions.
Philippe Prétat, Chief Executive Officer of DHL Express France, added that combining high-volume express logistics performance with a reduced carbon footprint demonstrates that commercial efficiency and environmental targets can be achieved simultaneously across French trade routes.
Mathieu Soulas, Director of New Mobilities at TotalEnergies, noted that SAF produced from circular economy waste streams—such as used cooking oil—provides an immediate, drop-in solution to reduce aviation lifecycle emissions by up to 80 per cent without requiring structural modifications to existing aircraft engines or refuelling infrastructure.
