With passengers now looking to travel more responsibly than ever, stakeholders across the aviation sector are upping the ante when it comes to demonstrating their sustainability commitment.
Aviation fuel supplier Avfuel is no exception. In response to growing demand from its customers, including FBOs and airports, it has teamed up with Neste – the worldʼs leading producer of renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) – to create a continuous supply of SAF in the US. Under the new strategic partnership, Avfuel will be branded a SAF distributor for Neste, and will sell it under the brand name Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel. Neste expects to have the capacity to produce some 1.5 million tons (515 million gallons) of SAF annually by 2023.
Avfuelʼs President and CEO, Craig Sincock, described the partnership as an “exciting development” and a “natural next step in response to aviationʼs growing demand for SAF.” He also said that, “Together, we are able to support aviationʼs sustainability goals and enhance supply availability at a commercial scale, filling an immense gap in the industryʼs supply chain.”
Marking a milestone as Avfuelʼs first customer to receive a consistent supply of SAF, Monterey Jet Center – an Avfuel-branded FBO based in California – is due to take delivery of the fuel in the first quarter of 2021. Prior to rolling out the programme to a larger customer base, Neste and Avfuel will work alongside Monterey Jet Center to ensure the entire supply chain, from production through to invoicing, functions smoothly.
Referencing the collaboration with Avfuel, Chris Cooper, Neste’s Vice President, Renewable Aviation, North America, highlighted that it’s about much more than just creating a supply chain. “We are really providing passengers with a meaningful way to reduce their carbon footprint when travelling on a business or private aircraft. Thanks to great partners like Avfuel, travellers who care about the health of our planet will be able to choose to board an aircraft flying on SAF.”
While it’s sometimes hard to find the positive stories amid the turmoil that continues to unfold across the aviation industry as a result of COVID-19, this latest partnership is certainly one to celebrate.
I hope you enjoy reading this week’s newsletter and for more on the relationship between fuel suppliers and FBOs as well as how these partnerships can benefit an airport, read our feature onʻThe perfect pairingʼ in the latest issue of Regional Gateway magazine.
Chloë Greenbank
Editor, Regional Gateway.
