Asiana to introduce sustainable aviation fuel in partnership with Shell

Asiana Airlines Inc. has joined hands with multinational energy company Shell plc to introduce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), an eco-friendly fuel, to its fleet of airplanes.

Asiana said on Monday that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Shell to expand the use of SAF.

Under the terms of the agreement, the South Korean company will receive a preferential supply of sustainable aviation fuel through the Shell network in the Asia Pacific and the Middle East for five years from 2026.

Sustainable aviation fuel is a fuel produced from sustainable sources rather than conventional fossil fuels and is known to reduce carbon emissions by up to 80% compared to fossil fuels.

Sustainable aviation fuel is growing in importance every year due to the imposition of carbon reduction obligations for all countries in the world according to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

In addition, it is essential to secure SAF supply after sustainable fuel use in aircraft has become mandatory in Europe.

Starting with the European Union, where sustainable aviation fuel will be obligatory from 2025, the use of sustainable aviation fuel will be expanded gradually in several leading countries.

For Asiana Airlines, as an airline that operates a global network, the decision to introduce the fuel is meaningful in that the company has succeeded in securing it by signing the latest agreement.

"We plan to expand SAF supply in other regions other than the Asia Pacific and the Middle East through consultations with other energy suppliers," said an Asiana Airlines official.

Write to Seo-Woo Jang at suwu@hankyung.com