DHL Express leads the way in sustainable aviation fuel adoption

DHL Express is joining forces with global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright to extend the use of the logistics company’s GoGreen Plus service. 

The new agreement reinforces DHL’s sustainability commitment as it seeks to reduce carbon emissions across all its major overseas trade lanes from Hong Kong. This will impact time-definite international shipments by 50% via Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).

Why does this matter? SAF is currently one of the most viable solutions for reducing carbon emissions. DHL’s GoGreen Plus service has been available in Hong Kong since 2023, and its operations have intensified from May this year.

DHL’s GoGreen Plus service

Andy Chiang, senior VP for DHL Express in Hong Kong and Macau says sustainability is a “huge business priority.” The positive adoption rates of GoGreen Plus over the past couple of months now indicates “a strong market demand for such a service.”

Thanks to Norton Rose Fulbright’s expanded use of the service, the partnership sends “an important signal that companies want to do more for sustainability,” Chiang adds. “Their commitment is instrumental in forging a greener and more responsible future.”

Meanwhile, head of Norton Rose Fulbright’s Hong Kong division, Psyche Tai, says it’s vital to integrate “environmentally responsible alternatives” in their supply chain. 

The law firm is developing “clear, specific and quantitative emissions objectives, together with a governance framework” to meet its sustainability goals. Tai says DHL’s GoGreen Plus service is a game-changer. “[It offers] a blend of transparency, and a clear commitment to reducing carbon emissions.”

SAF initiative

SAF is currently the best option for reducing carbon emissions in aviation, but the high cost remains a barrier to widespread adoption. Significant investment is still needed to build new production capacity and scale it up to compete with fossil fuels. 

Unfortunately, many businesses are either unwilling or unable to pay the high premiums needed to fund these investments. To solve this problem, DHL is joining forces with like-minded companies and organizations, like Norton Rose Fulbright.

The goal of these partnerships is to create the demand needed to boost supply. The logistic giant’s most recent strategic partnership is with Standard Chartered, a leading cross-border bank. 

The two companies have agreed to co-invest in SAF to increase demand and encourage producers to scale up production. It’s only through collaboration that this can be achieved. 

“We are sure that creating a more sustainable freight sector can only be achieved collectively,” says global head of Air Freight at DHL’s Global Forwarding division, Thomas Mack.

Image credit: DHL

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