DHL pioneers SAF use at Paris CDG with TotalEnergies pact

DHL Express took a monumental step in the decarbonisation of international air freight, becoming the first express logistics provider to integrate Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) into its operations at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG). In a landmark renewable one-year partnership with the global integrated multi-energy company TotalEnergies, DHL Express will secure an initial supply of five million litres of SAF to power its aircraft departing from the French capital.

The inaugural flight fuelled by this sustainable alternative took to the skies from the CDG hub today, signalling a new era in sustainable aviation for the express delivery sector. This strategic move aligns perfectly with the fifth anniversary of DHL’s flagship French air hub, a facility already highly regarded for its technological and operational innovations.

Travis Cobb, EVP Global Network Operations & Aviation at DHL Express, commented: "This latest milestone is part of DHL’s global strategy to decarbonize express transportation and help our customers reduce their transport-related indirect emissions. In 2025, SAF already accounted for 10% of the aviation fuel used across DHL’s own aircraft fleet, positioning our Group as a leader in both logistics and aviation sustainability."

Philippe Prétat, CEO of DHL Express France, added: "Five years ago, the opening of our Paris Charles de Gaulle Hub marked a major milestone in the development of DHL Express in France. Today, the introduction of Sustainable Aviation Fuel at this facility opens a new chapter. By becoming the first express operator to use SAF at Paris CDG Airport, we are demonstrating that world-class international logistics performance and a reduced carbon footprint can go hand in hand. This initiative reflects our commitment to supporting French businesses in their global trade activities while contributing to the transformation of our industry."

Mathieu Soulas, Director of New Mobilities at TotalEnergies, said: "TotalEnergies is fully committed to supporting the aviation sector in reducing its carbon footprint. Sustainable Aviation Fuels are a key lever for reducing aviation emissions today. They contribute both to our customers’ decarbonization efforts and to the industrial transformation of our refineries. This agreement with DHL strengthens our partnership and reflects our shared determination to accelerate the development and adoption of SAF. SAF represents a genuine growth industry that supports the energy transition of both aviation and industry."

Derived from circular economy waste and residual materials, such as used cooking oil, SAF acts as a direct alternative to conventional fossil-based jet fuel. It requires no costly or complex modifications to existing aircraft engines or airport infrastructure. Over its lifecycle, SAF has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 80 per cent compared to traditional fossil fuels. This environmental benefit encompasses the entire fuel value chain, from production and transportation to final consumption.

For DHL's French operations, this particular SAF agreement is projected to cut CO₂e emissions by roughly 11,800 metric tonnes each year. The SAF-powered aircraft will operate crucial arterial routes connecting the DHL Paris CDG hub to other major European and North African air hubs, specifically Leipzig, Casablanca, Milan, and London.

The integration of SAF is merely one facet of DHL Express France’s comprehensive decarbonisation strategy. A pioneer in low-emission logistics, the company deployed its first cargo tricycles in France back in 2005. Today, 100 per cent of its owned light commercial vehicle fleet in the country is fully electric. This aggressive electrification programme significantly supports the wider DHL Group’s global ambition to electrify two-thirds of its last-mile delivery fleet by the year 2030. Furthermore, DHL Express currently serves 55 city centres across France employing low-emission delivery methods, including walking couriers, bicycles, and cargo tricycles. The logistics giant also actively mitigates delivery mileage by partnering with widespread parcel collection and drop-off points, alongside strategic collaborations with innovative, eco-conscious start-ups.

To ensure that the environmental benefits of the TotalEnergies SAF agreement reach the end consumer, DHL will allocate these sustainable volumes into its GoGreen Plus offering. Utilising a robust book-and-claim mechanism, GoGreen Plus provides emission-reduced solutions across DHL’s core network. It enables customers to definitively reduce their Scope 3 emissions, which are those associated with upstream and downstream transportation and distribution. Clients benefit from this assigned environmental attribute even if their specific physical shipments were not transported on the exact aircraft powered by SAF, thereby supporting their own greenhouse gas reporting and corporate sustainability targets.

The rollout of SAF at Paris CDG serves as a fitting celebration for the hub’s fifth anniversary. Opened in 2021 following a substantial €170 million capital injection, it remains the largest single investment DHL has made in France since it commenced operations there in 1976. Situated in the heart of the airport's cargo zone on a 91,000-square-metre plot, the hub boasts 34,000 square metres of operational space. Its advanced sorting system efficiently processes up to 38,000 parcels and documents every hour, fifteen times the capacity of the previous facility, operating continuously with a dedicated workforce of 760 employees.