Global logistics firm Kuehne+Nagel and Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) have expanded their strategic partnership to speed up the use of cleaner aviation solutions, with a strong emphasis on increasing the availability of sustainable aviation fuel. The cooperation has been formalised through a memorandum of understanding and aims to support the market entry of solar-based synthetic fuels developed by Swiss clean energy company Synhelion, reports STAT Trade Times.
A key element of the agreement is a long-term commitment to purchase sustainable aviation fuel, which is expected to give Synhelion the certainty needed to move its technology to industrial-scale production. Synhelion produces renewable synthetic fuels by using solar energy to create liquid hydrocarbons, including solar jet fuel, which can significantly cut emissions over their life cycle without requiring changes to existing aircraft or airport infrastructure.
Under the arrangement, Kuehne+Nagel, SWISS and Swiss WorldCargo will work together to support the adoption of Synhelion’s fuel. By signalling reliable demand, the partners aim to help attract further investment and enable production to scale up. From 2027, Kuehne+Nagel plans to buy Synhelion’s sustainable aviation fuel from SWISS for a period of five years and apply it to its air cargo shipments transported by Swiss WorldCargo. This will support Kuehne+Nagel’s wider efforts to reduce emissions and allow customers to lower the carbon footprint of their air freight.
Kuehne+Nagel said expanding the supply of synthetic sustainable aviation fuel is essential for the aviation sector to meet its climate goals, and partnerships such as this are needed to bring new technologies to commercial viability. The company added that the agreement will help customers take part in reducing emissions through the use of alternative fuels.
SWISS said cooperation across the industry is crucial to address the limited availability and high cost of sustainable aviation fuel. The airline noted that working with logistics partners on long-term fuel purchases is an important step toward making cleaner fuels more widely available and supporting the first commercial use of Synhelion’s product.
The partnership highlights a broader trend in the aviation and logistics sectors, where long-term fuel purchase agreements are increasingly being used to reduce risks for new technologies and help move them from pilot projects to full commercial deployment.
