Virgin Atlantic Cargo has announced its Sustainable Aviation Fuel Certificate (SAFc) programme to help freight forwarders and shippers better manage their carbon emissions.

The airline states that customers who participate in the scheme will contribute to the Virgin Atlantic Cargo’s purchase of SAF, and will receiving a SAF certificate for the associated Scope 3 emissions reductions.

Global Logistics service provider DB Schenker is the first to participate in the scheme with the purchase of over several thousand tonnes of Scope 3 emissions reductions.

Virgin Atlantic Cargo states that customers will also benefit from detailed insight into their Scope 3 air freight emissions via the airline’s own, in-house developed air freight carbon calculator which uses recognised methodology and Virgin Atlantic’s actual flight emissions data to provide insights, allowing customers to take action on their carbon footprint.

The SAFc programme is driven by the airline’s commitment to 10 per cent SAF by 2030. The airline also states that the scheme creates a broader industry coalition that can provide further proof of the demand and support needed to scale a UK SAF industry which is key to decarbonising aviation.

Phil Wardlaw, vice president and managing director, cargo, at Virgin Atlantic, said: “It’s through collaboration and partnership that we’ll be able to find more sustainable ways to fly. Our new SAFc programme allows us to collaborate with customers and support them in making lower carbon choices to meet sustainability targets, easily understand their emissions and support future SAF contributions – a key step towards our net zero commitments.”

Wardlaw added: “We already have one of the youngest and most fuel efficient fleets in the sky, but after this, SAF represents the greatest opportunity to decarbonise aviation in the short- to medium-term, but we still require cross industry and government action to support commercialisation of SAF at scale, particularly in the UK.

“Our fuel programme will help us as we continue to work closely with our sustainability and cross industry partners to find innovative solutions to achieve this goal.”

Thorsten Meincke, global board member for air and ocean freight at DB Schenker, said: “Climate neutrality is an ambitious goal – but it must be our guiding principle. That is why we are steadily expanding our portfolio of fossil-free air freight solutions.

“We are delighted to be Virgin Atlantic Cargo’s first partner for the application of SAF. Together, we provide our customers with new opportunities to make a substantial reduction in their carbon footprint.”

Virgin Atlantic’s first UK SAF supply of 2.5 million litres of Neste Oyi neat SAF delivered into London Heathrow in 2022 is fuelling the programme; an important milestone as the airline scales it’s use and commitment to SAF in the UK.