• Sasol will supply its first commercial sustainable aviation fuel volumes to White Desert for flights between Cape Town and Antarctica.
• The SAF is produced from sustainable bio-feedstocks, with Sasol positioning bio-SAF as a pathway toward future green hydrogen-based e-fuels.
• Natref’s ISCC+ sustainability certification enables the supply agreement and could support South Africa’s role in emerging lower-carbon aviation fuel markets.

Sasol and White Desert have launched a commercial sustainable aviation fuel partnership that will put locally supplied SAF into aviation operations between South Africa and Antarctica.

Announced at the Africa Green Hydrogen Summit, the agreement represents Sasol’s first commercial SAF supply. White Desert, which operates luxury Antarctic expeditions from Cape Town, will use the fuel for flights connecting the two continents.

The partnership brings together existing South African fuels infrastructure with a commercial customer seeking to reduce aviation emissions. It also provides an early test of how the country’s industrial assets could participate in the growing market for lower-carbon aviation fuels.

“Today’s announcement shows that South Africa is not waiting on the sidelines of the energy transition. We are building practical solutions that connect industrial capability, customer demand and innovation. Through our partnership with White Desert, we are demonstrating how sustainable fuels can move from ambition to commercial reality,” said Dr Sarushen Pillay, Executive Vice President: Business Building, Strategy and Technology at Sasol.

Natref certification opens commercial pathway

The agreement follows Natref’s recent ISCC+ sustainability certification, which provides a framework for verifying sustainability and traceability across relevant supply chains.

Sasol said the SAF supplied to White Desert is produced from sustainable bio-feedstocks. The company views bio-SAF as an initial route toward a broader e-fuels industry that could eventually draw on green hydrogen.

That progression carries significance beyond aviation. Developing domestic SAF and e-fuel value chains could create industrial opportunities while supporting South Africa’s energy security and competitiveness. It could also allow existing fuel infrastructure and technical expertise to serve new low-carbon markets.

For Sasol, the strategy centres on converting existing industrial capabilities rather than replacing them outright.

“We do not decarbonise aviation by abandoning existing industrial assets, but by transforming them. South Africa has the fuels infrastructure, technical capability and export relationships needed to participate meaningfully in this market. Bio-SAF is the first proof point of that conversion, and a bridge to the e-fuels economy that follows,” Pillay said.

White Desert brings SAF into Antarctic operations

White Desert will use the locally sourced fuel in its aviation operations between Cape Town and Antarctica, putting South African SAF into service on an unusual and operationally demanding international route.

“It is incredible to now be able to source Sustainable Fuel in South Africa, made locally and with real carbon emission reductions. We are excited to be using this for our flights to Antarctica and being at the forefront of getting to net zero.” Patrick Woodhead CEO and Founder of White Desert.

The agreement provides a commercial demand point for an industry that will depend on customers willing to procure lower-carbon fuels despite their emerging supply chains and typically higher production costs.

For aviation companies, SAF is one of the principal options available to reduce lifecycle emissions while continuing to use existing aircraft and much of today’s fuel infrastructure. Scaling supply, however, requires investment across feedstocks, production capacity, certification and distribution.

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South Africa targets a role in lower-carbon fuels

The partnership also connects South Africa’s SAF ambitions with its broader push to develop green hydrogen and derivatives for domestic and export markets.

Existing refining assets, technical expertise and international trade relationships could give the country a foundation for developing these industries. Commercial agreements will be critical to demonstrating demand and supporting investment decisions as production expands.

For executives and investors, the Sasol-White Desert agreement offers an early example of how established industrial infrastructure can be adapted for emerging decarbonisation markets. Certification and customer commitments can help move projects beyond pilots and into commercial deployment.

“This is an exciting milestone for South Africa, for aviation and for the future of sustainable fuels.” Pillay concluded.

The volumes involved may be an initial step, but the strategic question is larger. If South Africa can convert its fuels expertise into scalable SAF and eventually e-fuels production, the country could build a new role within global aviation’s transition while retaining industrial capability at home.