SWISS International Air Lines (SWISS), which is Switzerland’s premium air carrier, and Kuehne+Nagel, which is one of the world’s leading logistics service providers, are to deepen their strategic partnership to make air transportation more sustainable. The partners have signed a Memorandum of Understanding under which they will join forces on various sustainability projects, with a particular focus on new technologies that will bring greater efficiency and sustainability to the transportation sector.
At the heart of the collaboration is the partners’ shared commitment to the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) which is being developed by Synhelion, the SWISS-based clean-tech pioneer. SWISS, its SWISS WorldCargo airfreight division and Kuehne+Nagel will be jointly supporting the scaling up of this fuel technology. A first milestone has already been achieved here in the partners’ long-term undertaking to procure SAF, which gives fuel manufacturers such as Synhelion the planning foundation they need to scale up their SAF production and further develop their technologies.
Through their use of SAF, SWISS and Kuehne+Nagel will also be making a direct contribution to bringing greater sustainability to the transportation sector. SWISS will procure at least 200 tonnes of Synhelion SAF a year under their new commitment and resell a portion thereof to Kuehne+Nagel.
Partnerships promote SAF development
“Sustainable aviation fuels are a key element in our endeavors to make air transportation more sustainable,” stresses SWISS CEO Jens Fehlinger. “These fuels are still expensive and in short supply, however, which is why we need strong partners to help further their development. We’re delighted that, together with Kuehne+Nagel, we can now initiate the first commercial supplies of Synhelion’s synthetic fuel. This is a major step forward, and a clear confirmation of the active role that SWISS aims to play in this vital area.”
Under the new commitment, Kuehne+Nagel will use Synhelion’s SAF for its airfreight transports with SWISS WorldCargo for a five-year period from 2027 onwards. In doing so, Kuehne+Nagel will continue its consistent endeavors to help decarbonize the logistics sector, and will also enable its airfreight customers to sustainably reduce their own carbon footprint.
“To meet the aviation industry’s climate targets, we must scale the production of synthetic SAF. At Kuehne+Nagel, we are taking the lead by partnering with SWISS and Synhelion to accelerate these technologies, making them economically viable,” explains Yngve Ruud, Member of the Management Board responsible for Air Logistics. “With it, we can offer our customers the opportunity to reduce their environmental footprint with this innovative technology.”
SWISS continues to pursue a range of measures to reduce the carbon dioxide produced through its flight operations. Along with investments in advanced and fuel-efficient aircraft, sustainable aviation fuels are a key lever in lowering the air transport industry’s carbon emissions. SWISS has been working for many years now with the Lufthansa Group, further partners and its customers to promote the development of such fuels and the scaling up of their production.
About SWISS WorldCargo
SWISS International Air Lines (SWISS) is Switzerland’s largest air carrier. With one of Europe’s most advanced and carbon-efficient aircraft fleets, SWISS is a premium airline that provides direct flights from Zurich and Geneva to keep Switzerland connected with Europe and the world. Its SWISS WorldCargo division offers an extensive range of airport-to-airport airfreight services for high-value, time-critical and care-intensive consignments. As The Airline of Switzerland, SWISS embodies its home country’s traditional values and is dedicated to delivering the highest product and service quality. The company has also committed to the ambitious climate goals of halving its 2019 net carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and making its operations entirely carbon-neutral by 2050, particularly by promoting the use of sustainable aviation fuels. SWISS is part of the Lufthansa Group and is also a member of Star Alliance, the world’s biggest airline network.
About Kuehne+Nagel
With over 80,000 employees at more than 1,300 locations in over 100 countries, Kuehne+Nagel is one of the world’s leading logistics companies. The company is dedicated to delivering sustainable supply chain solutions across air, sea, and land.
About Synhelion
Synhelion produces renewable solar fuels to defossilize the transportation sector. The cleantech company has developed a scalable technology to produce synthetic fuels from solar energy. These solar fuels are nearly CO₂-neutral and fully compatible with today’s global fuel infrastructure and conventional engines. Since the launch of its industrial-scale plant DAWN in 2024, Synhelion has been producing solar jet fuel, diesel, and gasoline and delivering them to its customers. Backed by international partners across various industry and transportation sectors, Synhelion is on a mission to replace fossil fuels with renewable solar fuels.