Emirates and ENOC Group have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore and develop joint initiatives that could enable Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) supply for Emirates at its Dubai hub.
The agreement was signed during the Dubai Airshow by Adel Al Redha, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Operating Officer, and Hussain Sultan Lootah, Acting CEO of ENOC Group.
The MoU establishes a framework for feasibility studies assessing potential SAF supply routes in Dubai, taking into account infrastructure requirements, production capabilities and commercial viability. The partnership will examine pathways for economically viable SAF production and supply in the emirate, with ENOC considering how it might support local manufacturing. A joint steering committee will guide the evaluation process.
Adel Al Redha, Deputy President and Chief Operating Officer said: “Emirates continues to explore ways to integrate sustainable aviation fuel adoption in our operations, and this partnership with ENOC represents an important step in that journey. Establishing reliable SAF supply in our Dubai hub is a key priority, and this collaboration allows us to assess the most viable pathways for integration. We recognise there’s significant work ahead to address supply constraints and infrastructure requirements, but partnerships like this are essential to identifying practical solutions and building the foundation for broader SAF accessibility in Dubai and eventually across our network.”
Hussain Sultan Lootah, Acting CEO of ENOC Group said, “At ENOC, we recognise the critical role that Sustainable Aviation Fuel plays in reducing carbon emissions across the aviation sector. This MoU with Emirates reflects our shared commitment to developing local SAF production and the infrastructure needed to make low-carbon aviation a reality. As the UAE works toward supplying 1% of jet fuel to national airlines from locally produced SAF by 2031, we believe this collaboration brings us a step closer to that goal. ENOC will continue to invest in innovation, strengthen partnerships, and explore practical pathways to build reliable SAF supply chains that support the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 ambition.”
SAF is a fully certified drop-in fuel compatible with existing aircraft and airport systems. It can be blended with jet fuel at up to 50% and offers significantly lower lifecycle carbon emissions. In its neat form, SAF can reduce emissions by up to 80% compared with conventional jet fuel.¹
Emirates continues to contribute to the UAE’s sustainable aviation fuel ecosystem through its involvement in the Technical Group of the Aviation Fuels Executive Committee, overseen by the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, and the Dubai Biofuels, Hydrogen and Sustainable Aviation Fuel Committee under the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy.
The airline has supported the development of the UAE’s General Policy for Sustainable Aviation Fuel, which aims to position the country as a regional hub for alternative aviation fuels, targeting 700 million litres of production by 2030. Emirates and the UAE GCAA have also participated in shaping the UAE’s power-to-liquid fuels roadmap, led by the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure and the World Economic Forum.
Emirates has conducted several SAF demonstration flights on its Boeing 777 and A380 aircraft. In January 2023, it operated a Boeing 777 flight with 100% SAF in one engine, followed by the first A380 demonstration flight using 100% sustainable aviation fuel in one of its four engines in November 2023. That same month, the airline operated flights from Dubai International Airport using 315,000 gallons of blended SAF integrated into the airport’s existing fuel infrastructure.
During the 2024–25 financial year, Emirates procured 7,519 tonnes of SAF at various airports across its network, including Amsterdam, London Heathrow, Oslo, Singapore, Paris, Lyon and Nice.
