Swiss WorldCargo and Kuehne+Nagel are to embark on a partnership to promote more sustainable air transportation. As leading players in their fields, the airline and the logistics concern both support the development and commercialization of the synthetic aviation fuels manufactured by the Swiss-based Synhelion clean-tech company. One key pillar in this support is the two partners’ long-term commitment to purchase such fuels, which gives Synhelion a sound planning foundation to scale up its synthetic fuel production.

Swiss International Air Lines and Kuehne+Nagel are to deepen their strategic partnership to make air transportation more sustainable. The partners have signed a Memorandum of Understanding under which they will join forces on various sustainability projects, with a particular focus on new technologies that will bring greater efficiency and sustainability to the transportation sector.

At the heart of the collaboration is the partners’ shared commitment to the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) which is being developed by Synhelion, the Swiss-based clean-tech pioneer. SWISS, its Swiss WorldCargo airfreight division and Kuehne+Nagel will be jointly supporting the scaling up of this fuel technology. A first milestone has already been achieved here in the partners’ long-term undertaking to procure SAF, which gives fuel manufacturers such as Synhelion the planning foundation they need to scale up their SAF production and further develop their technologies.

Through their use of SAF, SWISS and Kuehne+Nagel will also be making a direct contribution to bringing greater sustainability to the transportation sector. SWISS will procure at least 200 tonnes of Synhelion SAF a year under their new commitment and resell a portion thereof to Kuehne+Nagel.

“Sustainable aviation fuels are a key element in our endeavors to make air transportation more sustainable,” stresses SWISS CEO Jens Fehlinger. “These fuels are still expensive and in short supply, however, which is why we need strong partners to help further their development. We’re delighted that, together with Kuehne+Nagel, we can now initiate the first commercial supplies of Synhelion’s synthetic fuel. This is a major step forward, and a clear confirmation of the active role that SWISS aims to play in this vital area.” .

Under the new commitment, Kuehne+Nagel will use Synhelion’s SAF for its airfreight transports with Swiss WorldCargo for a five-year period from 2027 onwards. In doing so, Kuehne+Nagel will continue its consistent endeavors to help decarbonize the logistics sector, and will also enable its airfreight customers to sustainably reduce their own carbon footprint.

“To meet the aviation industry’s climate targets, we must scale the production of synthetic SAF. At Kuehne+Nagel, we are taking the lead by partnering with SWISS and Synhelion to accelerate these technologies, making them economically viable,” explains Yngve Ruud, Member of the Management Board responsible for Air Logistics. “With it, we can offer our customers the opportunity to reduce their environmental footprint with this innovative technology.”