AWOT, CTS, Jobmate, Sinotrans and SuperTrans have joined the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Program (SAF Program) of Air France KLM Martinair Cargo (AFKLMP Cargo), offering greener cargo services on routes connecting China with Europe and South America. 

The Cargo SAF Program enables shippers and forwarders to power a share of their flights with sustainable aviation fuel, a cleaner substitute for conventional jet fuel, reducing CO2 emissions by up to 85%. Participation in the program confirms the industry’s drive to seek alternatives to fossil fuels for powering commercial aircraft, as well as its commitment to greater sustainability. 

These far-reaching partnerships present an exciting development for the Air France KLM Martinair Cargo network in East Asia. By joining our Sustainable Aviation Fuel Program, these five companies reflect China’s commitment to investing in cleaner air and reducing its carbon footprint, while supporting the aviation industry’s global commitment to minimise harmful emissions. These multiple partnerships constitute a promising expansion of AFKLMP Cargo’s ambitious sustainability roadmap. 

AWOT Global Express, which operates between Hong Kong with Lima, Peru, is a newer freight forwarding company, but has stated that their youth as a company is what drives their commitment to delivering top-class service. AWOT’s decision to join AFKLMP Cargo’s SAF Program not only supports their drive to provide better service for their customers, but also aligns with their corporate ambition to be more socially responsible and environmentally conscious. At the contract signing, Kenny Li, managing director of AWOT Global Express remarked: “Air France KLM’s SAF Program came at the right time and we had no hesitation in saying “Yes” to investing in it. It gives us a jumpstart in our endeavour to be socially responsible and environmentally conscious.” 

Jiang Bo, vice president of CTS International Logistics Corporation, which operates between Shanghai and Amsterdam, remarked: “We want to be the first mover and set a marker for other Chinese companies to follow our sustainability driven approach. 

We believe that common goals and joint actions deliver the maximum results, not just in business, but also in the betterment of our industry and society at large. The money we invest in this programme is just a small step, an initial investment, towards a larger cause”. As a state-owned enterprise, CTS’s commitment to being a cleaner and greener company echoes that of the government of the People’s Republic of China. 

Jobmate International Logistics operates between Shanghai and Paris. Jobmate are pleased to be partnering with Air France KLM Martinair Cargo, seeing it not only as an opportunity for their own cost optimisation, but as a means to ensure the longevity of the airfreight industry. By utilising recyclable, biodegradable waste to create a new type of fuel, SAF contributes to the decarbonisation of the aviation sector and thereby to a better, more sustainable future. In his speech at the signing ceremony, Paul Gu, president of Job-Mate International, remarked: “Thanks again Air France-KLM for giving us the opportunity to participate in a project of such great and practical significance. We are in step with AFKLMP Cargo as a business partner, but also as a valued sponsor of a healthy, global ecosystem. We will call on more people and aspiring companies to participate extensively in creating a better and sustainable future together.” 

Sinotrans Global E-commerce Logistics has its headquarters in the Beijing Airport Economic Zone and will be offering a “green route” between Hangzhou and Amsterdam. They offer a range of logistics services, including a strong domestic and international airfreight network, which aims to provide customers with full-process, visualised and standardised logistics services throughout the supply chain. “The SAF Program of AFKLMP Cargo offers us a platform to promote the development of green logistics. Our Hangzhou branch is very proud that with this partnership they contribute towards reducing CO2 emissions on KLM’s Hangzhou-Amsterdam flight by over 15% for the year,” said Zhang Liang, vice general manager of Sinotrans e-Commerce Logistics. 

Operating between Xiamen and Amsterdam, Xiamen SuperTrans is a local company that has grown considerably in the past decade, from a small forwarding business into a full-range logistics services provider. They follow the “Two Mountain Theory” of the Chinese government, believing that economic development should be in harmony with environmental protection. The AFKLMP Cargo SAF Program offers SuperTrans a means of making a positive contribution to a cleaner world, but also confirms their commitment to social responsibility. “In a nutshell, we would like to expand our business in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way,” said Raymond Huang, general manager at Xiamen Supertrans. 

In closing, Rahul Pathak, AFKLMP Cargo’s director for China, Hong Kong & Taiwan concluded: “We deeply appreciate and thank our partners in China and Hong Kong for their investment in our Sustainable Aviation Fuel Program. It is only through a joint commitment and combined effort that, as an industry, we can lower our carbon footprint. We value Guanxi (关系) and are grateful to the relationship and trust accorded to us. We believe that, on the one hand, our strong business commitment to one another has made this engagement towards a sustainable future possible. On the other, it confirms the environmental awareness of our partners and their sense of social responsibility.”