• EcoCeres, SF Group and China National Aviation Fuel have launched a commercial SAF fuelling programme for outbound cargo flights in China.
• EcoCeres says its SAF can cut lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90% compared with conventional jet fuel.
• The programme combines SAF supply, airport fuelling infrastructure and Scope 3 environmental attribute tracking through AnchorTrace.

EcoCeres, SF Group and China National Aviation Fuel Group are expanding sustainable aviation fuel use into commercial air cargo operations in China.

The companies have launched a customised SAF fuelling programme with the Second Research Institute of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, known as CASRI. The initiative connects renewable fuel production with aviation infrastructure and cargo demand.

Under the programme, EcoCeres will supply SAF that is blended by China National Aviation Fuel Group, or CNAF. The fuel will then be used on outbound freighter flights operated by SF Airlines.

EcoCeres says the SAF can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90% compared with conventional jet fuel.

Ezhou airport becomes central SAF hub

The programme is centred on Ezhou Huahu International Airport in Hubei province. The airport serves as SF Airlines’ cargo hub and is a major component of China’s air freight infrastructure.

It also holds national policy importance. Ezhou Huahu is identified as a key aviation gateway under China’s 14th Five-Year Plan for Port Development.

That positioning gives the SAF programme relevance beyond a single airline or airport. It provides a commercial test case for integrating lower-carbon fuels into an aviation logistics network operating at scale.

Air cargo remains difficult to decarbonise because long-distance aircraft have limited near-term alternatives to liquid fuels. SAF is therefore becoming a key tool for airlines seeking emissions reductions without replacing existing aircraft fleets.

Project builds on earlier SAF pilot

The collaboration follows EcoCeres’ earlier SAF pilot in China, known as “Project Spark.”

During its initial phase, SAF from EcoCeres’ Zhangjiagang facility was blended by CNAF. It was then supplied to commercial flights at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport.

The pilot tested the full SAF value chain. This included production, transportation, blending and final deployment through existing airport infrastructure.

The latest programme moves that work into the air cargo sector, where emissions are linked not only to airlines but also to the Scope 3 footprints of logistics customers.

“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 EcoCeres. “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.”

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Scope 3 tracking adds corporate value

Environmental attribute accounting is another central component of the initiative.

The programme uses AnchorTrace, a Scope 3 environmental attributes platform jointly developed by CNAF and CASRI. The platform supports lifecycle tracking, registration and retirement of SAF environmental attributes.

That capability is particularly relevant for companies using air freight as part of global supply chains. Aviation emissions can sit within corporate Scope 3 inventories, making reliable emissions data increasingly important for climate reporting and procurement decisions.

By linking physical SAF consumption with traceable environmental attributes, the project aims to create a more verifiable system for allocating emissions benefits.

For cargo operators and their customers, that could strengthen the business case for paying a premium for SAF where emissions reductions can be documented.

China tests a scalable air cargo model

The programme brings together renewable fuel production, fuel infrastructure, environmental accounting and freight demand within one commercial system.

For China, the project offers another route to reducing emissions from aviation and express logistics while preserving existing transport capacity.

For aviation executives and corporate buyers, the larger question will be whether models such as this can scale beyond individual routes and airports. Cost, SAF availability and credible emissions accounting will remain central to that transition.

If those pieces can be aligned, China’s expanding air cargo network could become an important testing ground for commercial SAF deployment across one of transport’s hardest-to-abate sectors.