The LATAM group has made its first international flight using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The flight was made by LATAM Cargo Chile from Zaragoza Airport, Spain, to North America and responds to the group's commitment to become carbon neutral by 2050.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is a type of fuel that comes from alternative raw materials such as residues, fats and oils, among others, which are co-processed together with conventional fuel to produce a low-CO2 synthetic fuel. In this case, 30,000 liters of co-processed SAF made from used cooking oil were used, the other proportion being traditional jet fuel.
For this particular flight, the SAF fuel used is internationally certified through the ISCC EU (International Sustainability Carbon Certification) procedures, which ensure its sustainability. It was also provided by Air bp, one of the world's leading suppliers of aviation fuel, and represents the first production of SAF ISCC EU carried out in Spain at the Castellón refinery. With this milestone, the LATAM group becomes the first group of airlines to stock up on Air bp SAF at Zaragoza Airport, Spain, a result that was possible thanks to the collaborative work of LATAM and Airbp, together with partners such as AENA and Exolum who also contributed to the realization of this flight.
Up to 5% sustainable raw material is currently allowed within the co-processing of this SAF, which is credited with saving around 80% of carbon emissions throughout its life cycle, compared to fuel of conventional aviation that it replaces.
“This flight represents one of the most concrete advances in the group's agenda regarding the use of SAF. At LATAM we are committed to contributing to the protection and care of the environment and the use of this type of fuel is a key tool in this effort. We are very happy with this achievement because the use of SAF requires the cooperation of multiple actors and the success of this operation reflects that these collaborations are possible. This was a first step and we will continue looking for alternatives that allow us to make a significant contribution to the environment and to the communities where we operate”, commented Andrés Bianchi, CEO of LATAM Cargo.
“This latest announcement marks another important milestone for Air bp in its effort to increase SAF availability. Representing a key step in the replacement of fossil fuels with renewable feedstocks in existing refineries, co-processing plays a critical role in increasing SAF production in a more economical and efficient way,” says Andreea Moyes, Global Head of Sustainability at Airbp.