ECS Group and TUI have entered into the first SAF partnership between an airline and ECS, the GSSA (General Sales & Service Agent). ECS Group contributes 1% SAF towards the incremental fuel burn associated with the cargo carried on all TUI flights, and forwarders can opt in to contribute 10% SAF for the transport of their shipments.
The SAF cooperation between ECS Group and TUI began in August 2022. Since then, ECS Group has been financing a 1% SAF blend on all TUI flights. Freight forwarders have the option of contributing to a 10% SAF blend by way of a SAF surcharge, which is booked under Other Charge Due Carrier.
“Air cargo accounts for around 0.4% of global CO2 emissions – equivalent to the emissions of the entire country of Germany. This figure is expected to increase as the air cargo industry continues to grow,” says Adrien Thominet, executive chairman of ECS Group. That is why, at ECS Group, we are contributing to a 1% SAF blend on all TUI flights in this first ever SAF partnership between a GSSA and an airline – and it will not be the last.”
Participation in the SAF support scheme is possible across the entire network.
“ECS Group has identified short, medium, and long-term priorities to drive sustainability forward within our business and ultimately the industry. Environmental impact is one of our top priorities, and we are defining a consistent action plan to reduce our carbon emissions and bring our commitments in line with the UN Paris climate agreement. We see in this first SAF partnership with TUI a clear and major opportunity to positively impact our scope 3 emissions,” says Thominet. “We monitor and evaluate our performance to ensure maximum progress.”
“Sustainability is a top priority for TUI. Reducing CO2 emissions across our hotels, airlines and cruise divisions significantly is a key commitment of TUI Group’s Sustainability Agenda. We have set emission reduction targets for 2030 that have been approved by the independent Science Based Targets initiative. This partnership between TUI and ECS supports the sustainability transformation journey we are on. By joining forces, we can make a difference," says Leen Vander Kuylen, director of Supplier Management & Procurement, TUI Airline.
SAF specifics
SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) shall be either:
- co-processed with raw bio material from Annex IX (Part A or Part B) from the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II)
- Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene made from used cooking oil or waste animal fat feedstocks with a minimum of 65% GHG reductions vs the EU RED II Fossil Fuel Comparator baseline;
Both shall be certified as to its sustainability by either the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification organization or the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials.
