DHL Express, the world’s leading provider of international express services, and TotalEnergies, a global integrated multi-energy company, have signed a landmark purchase agreement that will introduce the first use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) by DHL Express in France.
This marks a new step in DHL Express’s efforts to decarbonize international air transportation of parcels. DHL Express is the first express logistics provider to use Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), operating from its regional hub. With this pioneering deployment, the company reinforces its leadership in driving the industry’s decarbonization, coinciding with the fifth anniversary of its flagship French air hub, a facility recognized for its innovation.
DHL has entered a renewable one-year partnership with TotalEnergies to fuel aircraft departing from its Paris CDG hub with SAF. This initial phase covers 5 million liters of sustainable aviation fuel over the course of one year. The first DHL aircraft powered with SAF takes off today from Paris CDG.
Related Post
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.
SAF: A Key Lever for Reducing Aviation-Related Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is produced from waste and residual materials derived from the circular economy, such as used cooking oil. As an alternative to conventional fossil-based jet fuel, SAF can be used immediately in existing aircraft without requiring modifications to aircraft or airport infrastructure.
Compared with conventional fossil jet fuel, SAF can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by around 80% over its lifecycle, depending on the feedstock and production method used. The environmental benefit is measured not only during aircraft operations but across the entire fuel value chain, including production, transportation, and consumption.
For DHL in France, this initiative is expected to reduce CO2e emissions by approximately 11,800 metric tons annually. The SAF-powered flights will operate from the DHL Paris Charles de Gaulle Hub to the company’s air hubs in Leipzig, Casablanca, Milan, and London.
Electrification on the Road
The adoption of SAF by DHL Express France is part of the company’s long-standing decarbonization strategy. DHL was the first express operator in France to deploy cargo tricycles as early as 2005 and has continuously invested in lower-emission transportation solutions, anticipating industry trends.
Today, 100% of DHL Express France’s owned light commercial vehicle fleet is electric, helping advance DHL Group’s global target of reaching two-thirds last mile electrification by 2030. Beyond fleet electrification, DHL Express serves 55 city centers across France using low-emission delivery modes, including walking, bicycles, and cargo tricycles. The company also reduces delivery journeys through partnerships with parcel collection and drop-off points, as well as collaborations with innovative start-ups.
GoGreen Plus: Lower-Emission Solutions for Customers
To ensure transparent allocation of emissions reductions to customers, DHL will integrate these SAF volumes into its GoGreen Plus decarbonization offering.
GoGreen Plus provides emission-reduced solutions across DHL’s core operations using sustainable fuels and low-carbon technologies. Emission reductions are allocated through a book-and-claim mechanism, allowing DHL to replace fossil fuels with sustainable alternatives within its network while assigning the resulting environmental benefits to customers who choose the solution, even when their shipments are not physically transported using those fuels.
Through GoGreen Plus, customers can reduce their Scope 3 emissions associated with upstream and downstream transportation and distribution activities while supporting their greenhouse gas emissions reporting and broader decarbonization objectives.
The DHL Paris Charles de Gaulle Hub: At the Heart of France’s International Trade
The introduction of SAF into DHL Express’s air operations at Paris Charles de Gaulle coincides with the fifth anniversary of the DHL Hub at the airport. This milestone further reinforces DHL’s leadership in implementing logistics and environmental innovations in France.
Opened in 2021 following an investment of EUR170 million, the facility represents the largest investment made by DHL in France since the company established operations in the country in 1976. It is also one of the key hubs within DHL’s European network.
Located in the heart of the Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport cargo zone, the site occupies a 91,000-square-meter plot and offers 34,000 square meters of operational space. Its state-of-the-art sorting system can process up to 38,000 parcels and documents per hour, fifteen times the capacity of the facility it replaced. The hub operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and employs 760 people.
