EcoCeres has partnered with Evos, a major liquids and chemical storage group, to increase supplies of sustainable aviation fuel in Europe. Hong Kong-based renewable fuels producer EcoCeres has just shipped from China 10 million litres of sustainable blending component to the Evos storage facility in Ghent, Belgium, one of Europe’s largest and fastest-growing SAF storage terminals. The HEFA-SPK product, developed from waste fats and oils, was produced at the EcoCeres processing plant in Jiangsu Province, eastern China, which the company says has been recognised by the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) – Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), accreditations which enable sale of the product in Europe. Meanwhile, Denmark’s Topsoe has been selected to support the Holborn renewable fuels complex, which is due to begin operations in Hamburg, Germany, early in 2027, with capacity to produce 220,000 tonnes of SAF and renewable diesel per year.

EcoCeres, which is backed by international investors Bain Capital and Kerogen Capital, produces hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) from waste grease and animal fats which can then be processed into SAF. The company’s Zhangjiagang renewable fuel refinery in Jiangsu Province, north of Shanghai, has capacity to produce up to 350,000 tonnes of HVO and SAF per year. A second plant is under construction in Johor, Malaysia, that will produce SAF, HVO and renewable naphtha, and expand the company’s annual production capacity by up to 400,000 tonnes. EcoCeres says it is currently serving a number of international airlines and their jet fuel suppliers directly.

The partnership with Evos integrates the EcoCeres product into Europe’s SAF supply chain at a time of rapidly increasing demand, ahead of the EU’s SAF blending mandate starting next year. Evos is a key infrastructure provider to the renewable fuels sector, with combined storage capacity for 6.4 million cubic metres of liquid energy and chemical supplies at terminals in Ghent, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Malta and Algeciras, Spain.

In January 2023 the Ghent terminal provided the first delivery of SAF through the NATO Central European Pipeline System (CEPS) to Brussels Airport and is now repurposing infrastructure in Ghent and Amsterdam to help accommodate soaring demand for SAF blending.

“We are thrilled to announce this collaboration with Evos, a well-established player with access to critical EU infrastructure,” said EcoCeres CEO James Ni. “It allows the repurposing of existing infrastructure, securing green jobs and providing our customers with an easy choice between fossil jet fuel and SAF.”

Evos CEO Harry Deans welcomed the collaboration with EcoCeres as part of broader efforts by the energy and aviation sectors to help decarbonise air transport. “Evos is proud to partner with EcoCeres and support the global transition to lower-carbon aviation,” he said. “This is a significant milestone for Evos Ghent and it enables further decarbonisation of the aviation supply chain.”

In Germany, Holborn Europa Raffinerie, an emerging producer of SAF and renewable diesel, has chosen Danish company Topsoe to provide technology to enable the conversion of waste and residue materials to low-carbon fuels.

Holborn, which already produces fuels and heating oils at its Hamburg refinery for that city and other parts of northern Germany, will use Topsoe’s HydroFlex conversion technology to additionally produce up to 220,000 tonnes of SAF and renewable diesel per year from early 2027. It will produce the SAF and HVO within the existing facility.

“Our complex in Hamburg is at the forefront of our commitment to implement the energy transition,” said the refiner’s CEO Lars Bergmann. “As such, it is vital we bring in the best technology to deliver on the high standards and specifications required for the project. Holborn is very pleased to sign this agreement with Topsoe, who are proven market leaders and whose technology is vital for processing our feedstock requirements.”

“To support the energy transition, we need a cleaner long-distance transport sector,” added Elena Scaltritti, Topsoe’s CCO. “A key step in securing this is by increasing production of SAF and renewable diesel. Holborn is spearheading the rollout of SAF in northern Europe through its Hamburg plant and we are proud to be part of this process. We look forward to delivering our technology and continue working with Holborn to accelerate the uptake of SAF in Europe and globally.”

Photo (EcoCeres): The vessel ClearOcean Marauder unloads 10 million litres of SAF to the Evos Ghent terminal

Tony Harrington

Correspondent

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Momentum is building in the Asia-Pacific region around improving the sustainability of the aviation sector and the use of sustainable aviation fuels. Major rivals Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines have signed a MoU to work together on a range of sustainability measures, while Vietnam Airlines has signed up to IATA’s CO2 Connect platform and recently conducted its first SAF flight, using a blend produced and supplied from Neste’s Singapore refinery. Dubai-based Emirates has also taken its first shipment in Singapore of SAF from Neste. Meanwhile, Air New Zealand has received 500,000 litres of SAF produced in China by Hong Kong energy company EcoCeres and blended by ExxonMobil. Meanwhile, Korean Air is expanding its cargo SAF programme through a new partnership with global logistics company CEVA.

The Cathay-Singapore collaboration was agreed by their respective chief executives at IATA’s recent annual general meeting in Dubai, reiterating the commitment of both carriers to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, and help drive the industry’s shift to more sustainable operations.

The two will jointly press for increased use of SAF across the APAC region and look for opportunities to jointly procure the fuel at specific locations. They will also publicly promote the fuel’s key role in cleaner aviation, advocate for Asia-Pacific governments to enact SAF-supportive policies and urge the creation of a single global accounting and reporting framework to ensure that emission reductions claimed from the use of SAF are both transparent and verified.   

Additionally, Cathay and Singapore will share best practices to reduce single-use plastics, minimise waste and improve energy efficiency in ground operations.

“As part of our collaborative ethos of ‘Greener Together’ we actively seek like-minded industry leaders for strategic partnerships in transitioning to sustainable aviation,” said Cathay’s CEO, Ronald Lam. “Our collaboration with Singapore Airlines aims to accelerate and support the development of the SAF supply chain in the region, fostering a reliable SAF ecosystem to enable the industry to achieve its long-term decarbonisation goals.”

Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong said his company was committed to embedding sustainable practices across all areas of the business but added the airline could not achieve all targets by acting alone. “Our partnership with Cathay signifies our mutual ambition to enhance collaboration in sustainability initiatives in the Asia-Pacific region,” he said. “Together we are helping to set the foundation for a more sustainable aviation industry and ensure that future generations continue to reap the benefits of air travel.” 

Also at the Dubai AGM, Vietnam Airlines joined IATA’s CO2 Connect project, through which airlines contribute operational data to the programme’s emissions calculator to help accurately quantify carbon emissions for each passenger by route flown and aircraft type.  Other participants in the programme include American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines and Qatar Airways, all of which are members of the oneworld global airline alliance.

“Reducing CO2 emissions and promoting sustainable development are top priorities for the global aviation industry,” explained IATA. “However, the measurement and reporting of CO2 emissions have been inconsistent due to the various methodologies used by different airlines.”

The CO2 Connect project creates a common platform for airlines to supply consistent calculation of aircraft CO2 emissions to enable both carriers and passengers to make environmentally informed decisions. The programme uses Recommended Practice Per Passenger CO2 Calculation Methodology (RP-1726), which assesses metrics including airline fuel measurement protocols, the CO2 allocation between passengers and cargo, and cabin class to help ensure the most accurate carbon footprint calculations.

“By participating in CO2 Connect,” said IATA, “Vietnam Airlines underscores its commitment to sustainable development, contributing to the goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050, as pledged by Vietnam at the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference, COP26.”

In May, Vietnam Airlines conducted its first flight to use sustainable aviation fuel, with an Airbus A321 taking on blended fuel at Singapore Changi for a return flight to Hanoi. Additionally, the airline became the first visiting carrier from the Asia-Pacific region to benefit from SAF produced at the Neste refinery in Singapore.

“We believe that the use of SAF will help create a more sustainable future for the aviation industry, providing passengers with both excellent service quality and environmental friendliness,” said Nguyen Chien Thang, EVP of Vietnam Airlines. “We are collaborating with our partners in the supply chain to expand the use of SAF in the future, thereby contributing to the successful achievement of goals related to net-zero emissions and climate change prevention.”

Emirates too has now started using Neste’s blended SAF in Singapore, produced from sustainably sourced renewable waste and residue raw materials including used cooking oil and animal fat. It is the first SAF procurement by Emirates in Asia and part of a broader global agreement with Neste.

“Emirates’ investment into Neste-produced SAF in Singapore marks a first step forward in our SAF adoption in Asia, a region that is primed to become a leading supplier of SAF, which continues to be in short supply,” said Adel Al Redha, the airline’s deputy president and COO. “While the activation of this agreement marks a milestone in our SAF journey in a new region, there’s still a lot of work to do. And as we procure SAF for the short term, we’ve got our sights set on longer-term agreements to help scale up a steady supply of SAF for our operations.”

The airline also uses SAF on flights from Amsterdam, London Heathrow, Paris, Lyon and Oslo, and late last year integrated SAF into fuelling systems at its home hub, Dubai.

Meanwhile, Air New Zealand has acquired 500,000 litres of SAF produced from used cooking oil in China by Hong Kong headquartered renewable energy company EcoCeres and blended by Exxon Mobil.

The SAF was delivered to Wellington Airport for use in Air New Zealand’s fleet of ATR 72 regional airliners. The carrier says this volume of SAF is sufficient to fuel 165 Airbus A320 flights between the country’s capital, Wellington, and New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland. 

“Airlines are signing supply arrangements for SAF 10 years into the future and beyond,” said Air NZ’s Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer, Kiri Hannifin, “so we need to be part of the picture from the start, otherwise New Zealand may fall behind. While the volumes of SAF we are buying are very small compared to the amount of fossil jet fuel we use, they give an important signal to alternative fuel producers that we are open for business.

“We’ve seen increased international momentum around SAF in the past few months, with airlines, governments, airports and fuel companies all getting on board with alternative fuels at pace.

“From 2026, our aircraft will be required to uplift SAF when we fly home from Singapore and Vancouver. Japan has announced a SAF requirement from 2030 and other countries are also making signals that SAF will be mandated for all airlines for outbound flights including in Australia, Indonesia, Hong Kong and China.”

EcoCeres, a business unit of energy supplier Hong Kong and China Gas, operates a waste oil plant in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu province in China, producing 100,000 tonnes of SAF per year and 200,000 tonnes per year of renewable diesel. The company says it is the world’s first ISCC-CORSIA Plus approved SAF processing facility. It is now planning a second plant in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, that would produce around 350,000 tonnes a year of low carbon transportation fuel.

Following a $400 million strategic investment made in EcoCeres by Bain Capital in 2023, the fast-expanding company earlier this year appointed former Neste CEO Matti Lievonen as its Executive Chairman. He has been joined by another former Neste executive, Phil Moore, who has taken up the position of Global Head of Sustainable Aviation Fuels.

Meanwhile, Korean Air is expanding its cargo SAF programme through a new partnership with global logistics company CEVA.

The logistics group will support Korean Air’s use of SAF for cargo operations, and the airline will reciprocate by sharing carbon emissions reductions with CEVA.

“One of CEVA’s key short-term levers to promote decarbonisation hinges on collaboration,” said Olivier Boccara, CEVA’s Air and Ocean Leader, APAC. “Through developing new solutions for our customers with airline partners like Korean Air we are able to contribute to meaningful change in our industry.

“Extending our SAF offering into the Asian market is a tangible step we can take now as we look ahead to more advances in fuels and other technologies to decarbonise air freight and the global supply chain.”

Photo: Emirates aircraft refuelled with Neste SAF at Singapore Changi Airport

Tony Harrington

Correspondent

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