The Cathay Group and Airbus have announced a joint investment agreement of up to US$70 million (HK$545 million) to accelerate the development of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production in Asia and globally.

The agreement was announced in Hong Kong on the sidelines of the IATA World Sustainability Symposium at a ceremony hosted by Cathay Chief Operations and Service Delivery Officer Alex McGowan, and Airbus President Asia Pacific Anand Stanley.

Under the terms of the partnership, the two companies will work to identify, evaluate and invest in projects that support the scaling of SAF production towards 2030 and beyond. Projects will be assessed based on their commercial viability, technological maturity, and potential for long-term offtake.

Scaling SAF adoption requires deep collaboration across the value chain, from policymakers and investors to SAF producers, airlines and customers. This co-investment agreement reflects the spirit of partnership with Airbus and Cathay teaming up to accelerate production capability for more meaningful impact.

Cathay’s Alex McGowan said: “SAF remains the most important lever for Cathay and the wider aviation industry to drive toward our common decarbonisation goals. This co-investment partnership with Airbus underscores our commitment to supporting a more scalable SAF industry in the near term. It complements our broader strategy of investing in the technologies and production capacity that can transform the industry in the long run, including our participation in the recently launched oneworld BEV SAF Fund. Meanwhile, we are also expanding SAF usage today through partnerships with like-minded organisations.”

Airbus’s Anand Stanley said: “This agreement reflects the shared commitment of Airbus and Cathay to make a real difference. The production and distribution of affordable SAF at scale requires an unprecedented cross-sectoral approach. Our partnership with Cathay is a concrete example of how we catalyse production in the most suitable locations to serve our customers.”

The partnership also includes collaboration to advocate for supportive SAF policies on both the supply and demand side across Asia. With the region’s strong potential in feedstock supply, production capacity, and its vibrant aviation market, Cathay and Airbus aim to leverage their global experience to help shape policies that make SAF more accessible and affordable in this part of the world.

Last month, Cathay also joined as a launch investor in the oneworld BEV SAF Fund, a joint initiative with other oneworld airlines and Breakthrough Energy Ventures, the climate investment firm founded by Bill Gates. That fund focuses on novel, next-generation SAF technologies with the potential to scale significantly and reduce costs. Complementing this, the Cathay–Airbus partnership announced today will target more mature SAF opportunities to accelerate near- to medium-term availability.

Cathay and Airbus have a long-standing partnership dating back to 1989, when the airline placed its first order for Airbus aircraft. Today, the Cathay Group operates more than 85 Airbus aircraft, with an outstanding order for over 70 more to be delivered.

All images credited to Cathay