GS Caltex has signed a memorandum of understanding with DHL Express to establish a carbon reduction partnership based on SAF. Under the agreement, GS Caltex will supply DHL Express aircraft refuelling in Korea with SAF equivalent to 2,000 tonnes of Neat SAF (100% SAF) over the next year.
What DHL Express Gets From This Agreement
DHL Express secures a dedicated SAF supply source specifically for aircraft refuelling in Korea, denominated in Neat SAF tonnage rather than a blended-fuel volume, giving the logistics company a defined local supply arrangement in Northeast Asia to sit alongside its broader global SAF sourcing strategy.
What Makes This SAF Eligible Under EU Rules
The SAF GS Caltex will supply is produced through a co-processing method and carries ISCC EU certification, meaning it complies with the European Union's Renewable Energy Directive despite being produced and delivered in Korea. That certification detail matters for a logistics company like DHL operating internationally: SAF used to refuel aircraft in Korea can still count toward EU-relevant sustainability accounting because of the certification standard applied, rather than certification being tied to where the aircraft ultimately flies.
The GoGreen Plus Mechanism
GS Caltex will also participate in DHL Express's GoGreen Plus programme, under which all overseas shipments GS Caltex sends through DHL Express will use SAF-based carbon reduction, with GS Caltex receiving recognition for the resulting emissions cuts. This creates a closed loop specific to GS Caltex's own shipping activity, distinct from the airline refuelling supply itself, giving GS Caltex a second, self-referential emissions benefit from the same underlying partnership.
Why GS Caltex Is Building Dedicated Production Capacity Now
To support the expanding number of SAF customers, GS Caltex plans to complete a dedicated co-processing production line within the year, including dedicated pipelines connecting bio-feedstock tanks directly to refinery processes for commercial-scale SAF production. Building dedicated infrastructure, rather than continuing to rely on existing refinery configurations, signals GS Caltex is treating SAF demand growth as sustained rather than a temporary trend to accommodate opportunistically.
A Track Record Predating This Deal
GS Caltex has been building SAF customer relationships steadily since 2023, when it sourced SAF from Finland's Neste and completed Korea's first SAF demonstration flights with Korean Air. It later became the first Korean refiner to complete a commercial-scale sale of ISCC CORSIA-certified SAF, exporting to Narita Airport via Itochu Corporation in 2024, and has since supplied Asiana Airlines, Jin Air, Eastar Jet, Korean Air and Aero K Airlines domestically. DHL Express is GS Caltex's first named international logistics customer for SAF, extending beyond the airline customer base it had built up over the preceding two years.
Source: GS Caltex, 9 September 2026.
