FedEx ramps up SAF procurement for use at five US airports

FedEx has struck agreements to secure more than 20m gallons of neat sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) across five US airports until the end of 2027. The agreements span FedEx operations at Newark Liberty International Airport, Oakland International Airport, Miami International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. These agreements are expected to deliver SAF at blend ratios ranging from 30% to 50%, depending on location. According to FedEx, since last year, it has secured approximately 5m gallons of neat SAF through agreements that resulted in the deployment of 16.5m gallons of blended SAF across five US airports. In May last year, Neste announced it would supply 8,800 metric tons (more than 3m gallons) of SAF to FedEx at Los Angeles International Airport. This was the first major US SAF deployment by FedEx. Then in October, FedEx began to take delivery of SAF at Chicago-O'Hare Airport and Miami International Airport for the first time. FedEx is working toward its goal to source 30% of jet fuel blended from alternative sources by 2030, while expanding the use of SAF across its US air network. "The latest agreements represent an expansion of SAF within the FedEx air network enabled, in part, by state and federal level incentives," said Greg Paulus, vice president of enterprise sourcing at FedEx. "SAF is one of the most impactful decarbonization solutions available to aviation today and an important part of our approach to reducing emissions," added Karen Blanks Ellis, chief sustainability officer and vice president of environmental affairs at FedEx. "For the market to grow, supply needs to be reliable, affordable, and sustainable. Expanding our procurement allows us to employ more SAF in our network while bolstering the demand for greater production and scale."

ATSG makes three leadership appointments

Aircraft lessor and operator ATSG has made three senior management appointments. Mike Hough has joined the company as group president of airlines and services, Tim Schulze has joined the company as chief risk and corporate development officer, and Doug Belding has joined as vice president, enterprise performance and operating systems. Hough will oversee ATSG's airline operating companies and aviation services businesses as a single integrated operating group with overall accountability for all aspects of their collective performance, including profitable growth. He joins from GAT Airline Ground Support, where he served as chief executive. Schulze will spearhead ATSG's efforts to evaluate and build new business opportunities across the enterprise while driving enterprise risk management, capital allocation discipline, insurance and risk financing optimisation, M&A and strategic development support, and governance and enterprise standards. Schulze has been serving as an external advisor to ATSG since January. Belding will drive improvements in enterprise systems, processes, and management disciplines that "enable operating leaders to manage performance with greater clarity, consistency, and accountability". Belding joins ATSG from FedEx, where he held leadership roles focused on business transformation and operational excellence over the past 11 years. "We are extremely pleased to have leaders of the calibre of Mike, Tim, and Doug joining ATSG," said ATSG president and chief executive Greg Mays. "Mike's proven track record in driving operational discipline, delivering financial performance, and building commercial enterprises; Tim's depth of experience and keen strategic perspective; and Doug's expertise in transformation and operational excellence are exactly what ATSG needs as we continue to execute our long-term growth strategy."

Want to sell your freight forwarder? Start five years before you want to leave

This succession series began with a simple observation: plenty of European logistics entrepreneurs are getting older, while rather fewer sons and daughters seem interested in taking over the family forwarder. The second column looked at who might buy these businesses. The third ventured into the more delicate territory of what they might actually be worth. A few owners have since asked the logical next question. Fine. I am 63 or 65, the children aren't interested and, after 35 years ...