Lufthansa Cargo and DB Schenker Launch First CO2-Neutral Freight Flights

Lufthansa Cargo and DB Schenker are launching CO2-neutral freight flights on the route from Frankfurt to Shanghai and back. The complete coverage is provided by Sustainable Aviation Fuel. Regular CO2-neutral air freight is expected to be flown starting in spring.

(Frankfurt/Essen) On Sunday, November 29, 2020, a freight flight will take off for the first time in commercial aviation, with its fuel needs fully covered by Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The Boeing 777F from Lufthansa Cargo is scheduled to depart from Frankfurt to Shanghai at 8:10 AM local time under flight number LH8406 and will return to the Hessian metropolis. This first CO2-neutral freight flight is made possible through a collaboration between DB Schenker and Lufthansa Cargo. The logistics service provider and the air freight company are transporting, among other things, goods from Siemens Healthineers AG on this flight. DB Schenker and Lufthansa Cargo are committed to sustainable air traffic and agreed in November 2020 to exchange ideas on environmental issues and promote them together – including the exit from fossil fuels in air freight transport.

Federal Minister of Transport Scheuer is also pleased

Federal Minister of Transport Scheuer: “Lufthansa Cargo and DB Schenker are taking their responsibility for climate protection even in the most severe crisis the aviation industry has ever faced, conducting the first freight flight from Frankfurt to Shanghai entirely with sustainable alternative fuel. This is an important signal right now that companies are looking to the future despite all concerns and are taking important steps to make aviation more sustainable.””With this flight, we are advocating for increased research and use of SAF so that sufficient quantities of the alternative fuel will be available in the future. In addition to investments in a modern freighter fleet, our commitment to this CO2-neutral flight also contributes to the United Nations’ sustainability goal ‘Climate Action’. Lufthansa Cargo takes its corporate responsibility very seriously and actively takes measures to meet this responsibility and relieve the environment,” explains Peter Gerber, CEO of Lufthansa Cargo.

Climate protection in air freight is further along than one might think

“In terms of climate protection in air freight, we are already further along than many think. We can demonstrate this with the first CO2-neutral freight flight in history,” says Jochen Thewes, CEO of DB Schenker. “Starting with the summer flight schedule 2021, DB Schenker will offer greenhouse gas-neutral air freight as a regular product. As a logistics provider, DB Schenker is the link between the shipping industry and airlines to actually implement climate protection in air freight. I am convinced that there is a great demand for this type of green transport, and I look forward to seeing who will join in,” Jochen Thewes continues. “Getting our medical technology systems and important spare parts to where they are urgently needed and always being a reliable partner for our customers and their patients is our top priority. We are even more pleased that our logistics partners are setting an important example and want to make air freight traffic more climate-friendly in the future. This is an important step towards sustainable transport routes,” says Dr. Frank Debus, Head of Customer Services Managed Logistics at Siemens Healthineers.

Sustainable Kerosene

Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) refers to sustainable, synthetic kerosene. It is currently mainly produced from biomass, for example from sustainable or recyclable plant and cooking oils. In the future, non-plant-based renewable fuels will also be available. The most well-known production method for this is the so-called Power-to-Liquid concept (PtL) based on renewable electricity, water, and CO2. By using SAF, the fossil CO2 emissions of a flight with conventional kerosene are completely avoided. During combustion in the engine, only CO2 is released that was previously removed from the atmosphere, for example, during the growth of plants. SAF is thus the first real alternative to fossil aviation fuel and the key to climate-friendly, CO2-neutral air traffic. Additionally, DB Schenker and Lufthansa Cargo offset the CO2 emissions and other greenhouse gases that arise from the production, processing, and transport of SAF through a reforestation project. This achieves overall complete greenhouse gas neutrality for the flights.

No adjustments needed for aircraft

The SAF used can be blended with conventional kerosene as a so-called drop-in fuel and is therefore practical and suitable for everyday use without adjustments to the aircraft and the supply logistics chain. Therefore, a quantity of SAF corresponding to the fuel needs for the flights from Frankfurt to Shanghai and back is fed into the refueling system of Frankfurt Airport. Each aircraft subsequently refueled from the tank farm receives and consumes a small portion of the SAF. However, the CO2 avoidance achieved in this way is fully credited to Lufthansa Cargo and DB Schenker. Both companies are thus kicking off a joint effort agreed upon in November to phase out fossil fuels in aviation. The goal of the cooperation includes regular exchanges, the promotion of environmentally friendly technologies, such as SAF. DB Schenker and Lufthansa Cargo link the start of their first CO2-neutral flights with a call to shippers, logistics providers, air freight carriers, and also politics to work together on expanding production and infrastructure and thus improving the availability of Sustainable Aviation Fuel. Both companies are leading the way and will offer CO2-neutral air freight regularly as a product for the shipping industry starting with the summer flight schedule. Photo: © Oliver Rösler; Lufthansa Cargo / Image caption: Peter Gerber, CEO Lufthansa Cargo (left) and Jochen Thewes, CEO DB Schenker (right)www.lufthansa-cargo.com    www.dbschenker.com