EcoCeres and FatHopes sign SAF supply and feedstock deals in China and Vietnam

Renewable fuels company EcoCeres has partnered with SF Group and China National Aviation Fuel Group (CNAF) to supply blended sustainable aviation fuel for outbound freighter flights operated by SF Airlines. The programme, in which SAF produced by EcoCeres will be blended by CNAF, involves collaboration with the Second Research Institute of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CASRI). The SAF will be supplied to SF Airlines’ cargo hub at Ezhou Huahu International Airport in Hubei, which is considered a key aviation gateway under China’s 14th Five-Year Plan for Port Development. Elsewhere in Asia, Malaysia-based FatHopes Energy has entered a strategic partnership with PetroVietnam Oil Corporation (PVOIL) to establish Vietnam’s first nationwide used cooking oil collection ecosystem that is expected to aggregate more than 200,000 tonnes of feedstock annually for SAF production.

The EcoCeres project follows a prior SAF pilot programme in China, called Project Spark, in which SAF produced at EcoCeres’ Zhangjiagang facility was blended by CNAF and used to fuel commercial flights at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, that validated the full value chain from production and transportation to blending and deployment.

The new project with SF Airlines also includes application of Anchor Trace, a platform developed by CNAF and CASRI to transfer Scope 1 emissions to airlines and Scope 3 emissions to corporate customers. It enables full lifecycle tracking, registration and retirement of SAF environmental attributes.

By integrating renewable fuel production, a transparent environmental attribute tracking system and real-world aviation logistics demand, the project validates a decarbonisation model that is both technically viable and commercially sustainable, says EcoCeres.

“This project demonstrates how SAF can pragmatically and efficiently connect renewable fuel producers, aviation fuel infrastructure providers and cargo operators in a results-oriented way,” said James Tam, Co-Chairman of the Hong Kong-based company. “By integrating SAF into existing aviation fuel systems, we are working together with our partners to build a replicable, scalable and verifiable pathway for lower emissions air cargo development in China.”

Headquartered in Shenzhen, Guangdong, SF Airlines operates around 90 freighters through four major aviation hubs: Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Beijing and Ezhou.

“The successful inaugural flight of this project marks SF Group’s enhanced end-to-end capability, from bulk SAF sourcing, blending and customised fuelling to freighter utilisation, alongside a strategic green capacity deployment,” commented Li Sheng, Chairman of SF Airlines. “It also positions SF Airlines as the first in China to integrate three unique advantages: a SAF-enabled hub airport, large-scale physical SAF fuelling capability and international SAF certification, thus making it a Scope 3 green aviation service provider.”

EcoCeres’ SAF is produced from waste and residue feedstocks via its proprietary process, which it says delivers up to 90% lifecycle greenhouse gas emission reductions compared to conventional jet fuel.

Meanwhile, FatHopes Energy and PVOIL are to establish an integrated ecosystem capable of collecting, tracing and managing used cooking oil (UCO) across Vietnam for use as SAF feedstock, commencing with an initial rollout in Ho Chi Minh City before expanding across the country.

FatHopes proprietary waste recycling management system is a digital platform that provides end-to-end traceability throughout the collection journey, ensuring compliance, says the company, with international sustainability requirements and meeting global certification standards.

PVOIL and its dedicated collection subsidiary, PVOIL Trans, will lead the implementation and expansion of the initiative throughout Vietnam, engaging with businesses, communities and local stakeholders to establish what it expects to be one of the country’s most comprehensive waste-to-energy collection networks.

“By leveraging our nationwide network together with FatHopes Energy’s innovative technology and international expertise, we are creating a modern and transparent collection ecosystem that not only delivers environmental benefits but also contributes to the future development of sustainable aviation fuel in Vietnam,” said Mai Trung Thanh, Director of PVOIL Trans.

The aggregation of an anticipated 200,000 tonnes of feedstock annually will be exported to support FatHopes Energy’s proposed biorefinery in Malaysia that is intended to serve as a regional hub for processing waste feedstocks into SAF.

“By combining FatHopes Energy’s expertise in digital traceability, feedstock collection and sustainable aviation fuel supply chains with PVOIL’s nationwide reach and operational capabilities, we are building the infrastructure needed to support Vietnam’s energy transition while strengthening Southeast Asia’s role in the global sustainable aviation ecosystem,” said Vinesh Sinha, the company’s CEO. “We believe this partnership will serve as a blueprint for how countries across the region can unlock the value of waste, accelerate decarbonisation and create long-term environmental and economic impact.”

Photo (EcoCeres): Refuelling of a SF Airlines freighter