Air Freight & Sustainability: SAF & Carbon Offsetting

Air freight faces a fundamental paradox: it is indispensable to global trade and the rapid movement of high-value goods, yet it represents one of the most greenhouse gas-intensive transport modes. Faced with climate imperatives and growing stakeholder demands for ESG performance, the cargo industry is accelerating its transition towards a more sustainable model. The experts at Private Jets Connect break down the key points below.

The Environmental Footprint of Air Freight

Emissions in Perspective

Air transport as a whole accounts for approximately 2.5% of global CO2 emissions, according to data from the ATAG (Air Transport Action Group). Air freight, encompassing dedicated freighters and passenger aircraft belly holds, contributes roughly one-third of these emissions.

In terms of carbon intensity, the disparities between transport modes are stark:

This unfavourable ratio is offset by the economic value carried: air freight accounts for just 2% of global volumes but approximately 35% of the value of goods in transit. For high-value products, perishables, and time-critical shipments, it remains irreplaceable.

Emission Sources

Air freight emissions originate primarily from kerosene combustion (Jet A-1), which releases approximately 3.16 kg of CO2 per kilogram of fuel burned. Non-CO2 effects (contrails, nitrogen oxides) may double the actual climate impact relative to CO2 emissions alone.

Ground operations (handling, ramp vehicles, air conditioning systems) and the terrestrial logistics chain (road transport to and from airports) complete the overall carbon footprint of a cargo shipment.

Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF)

What Is SAF?

SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) refers to aviation fuels produced from renewable feedstocks or waste, as opposed to fossil-derived kerosene. SAF is technically a drop-in fuel: it can be blended with conventional jet fuel and used without modifications to engines or existing airport infrastructure.

Production Pathways

Several technological pathways produce SAF:

HEFA (Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids): the most mature pathway, using waste cooking oils, animal fats, or vegetable oils. It accounts for over 80% of current SAF production.

Fischer-Tropsch (FT): gasification of biomass (forestry residues, municipal waste) followed by catalytic synthesis. This pathway offers greater long-term volume potential.

Alcohol-to-Jet (AtJ): conversion of renewable alcohols (ethanol, isobutanol) into synthetic kerosene.

Power-to-Liquid (PtL) / e-fuels: synthesis of kerosene from green hydrogen and CO2 captured from the atmosphere. This technology promises near-total emission reduction but remains at the pilot stage.

Production and Availability

Global SAF production reached approximately 600,000 tonnes in 2024, representing less than 0.2% of total aviation kerosene consumption (approximately 300 million tonnes per year). The gap between supply and regulatory targets remains considerable.

The cost premium of SAF over conventional kerosene ranges from 2 to 5 times the price of Jet A-1, depending on the production pathway. This price differential remains the primary barrier to mass adoption.

Carbon Offsetting

Mechanisms and Standards

Carbon offsetting involves funding projects that reduce or sequester CO2 emissions equivalent to those generated by a given activity. For air freight, the main certification standards are:

• Gold Standard: recognised for its rigour, covering renewable energy, energy efficiency, and reforestation projects
• Verra VCS (Verified Carbon Standard): the world’s most widely used standard by volume of credits issued
• CORSIA Eligible Emissions Units: credits accepted under the ICAO programme

The CORSIA Programme

CORSIA (Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation) is ICAO’s global carbon offsetting programme. It requires airlines to offset the growth of their CO2 emissions beyond 2019 levels.

Since 2024, CORSIA has entered its mandatory pilot phase for international flights between participating states. Airlines must purchase eligible carbon credits to cover their excess emissions.

Limitations of Offsetting

Carbon offsetting faces legitimate criticism: greenwashing risks, difficulties in measuring project additionality, and uncertain permanence of carbon storage. Experts agree that offsetting should complement, not replace, direct emission reduction efforts.

The European Regulatory Framework

ReFuelEU Aviation

The ReFuelEU Aviation regulation (2023/2405) is the centrepiece of European policy on sustainable aviation fuels. It requires fuel suppliers at EU airports to blend an increasing share of SAF: 2% in 2026, 6% in 2030, 20% in 2035, 34% in 2040, and 70% in 2050.

EU ETS Aviation

Intra-European air freight has been integrated into the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) since 2012. Airlines must purchase allowances to cover their CO2 emissions. The allowance price fluctuates around EUR 60-80 per tonne of CO2 in 2026.

Decarbonisation Strategies for Shippers

Operational Optimisation

Before investing in SAF or offsetting, shippers can reduce their carbon footprint through operational levers:

• Consolidation of shipments to maximise aircraft load factors
• Aircraft selection: latest-generation freighters (Boeing 777F, Airbus A350F) consume 15 to 25% less fuel
• Route optimisation to reduce distances flown
• Intermodality: air-road or air-rail combinations for ground segments

Voluntary SAF Engagement

Many companies subscribe to Book and Claim programmes that allow purchasing SAF certificates corresponding to a volume of sustainable fuel integrated into the distribution system, without the SAF necessarily being burned on their specific flight.

Private Jets Connect assists its clients in identifying the most relevant decarbonisation options for each cargo charter, whether SAF, certified offsetting, or operational optimisation.

The transition to sustainable air freight will be neither swift nor painless, but it is irreversibly underway. Players who anticipate this evolution today will be best positioned in a market where environmental performance is becoming a selection criterion as important as price and transit time.