German energy company Mabanaft has started supplying jet fuel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to airlines at Frankfurt Airport, marking an expansion of its aviation business into the German market. The volumes involved are tiny, however.
Since January 2025, Mabanaft has worked with partner Skytanking, an aviation fuelling services company, to support operations at the airport. The company has already commenced supply agreements with Singapore Airlines and the Lufthansa Group.
The move adds Frankfurt to Mabanaft’s existing aviation fuel network, which includes locations in the UK and Norway. Under the European SAF Mandate, Mabanaft plans to deliver 1,000 tonnes or more of SAF at Frankfurt this year. (Globally, 350 million tonnes of aviation fuel was burned in 2023.)
SAF supplied by Mabanaft includes a blend of hydroprocessed vegetable oils, fats and greases which can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 80% over its life cycle compared with conventional aviation fuels.
Simon Weiss, Head of Aviation at Mabanaft, said the expansion supported the company’s wider strategy to strengthen aviation supply chains in Germany and across Europe.
Mabanaft said it is focused on developing its presence in hard-to-electrify sectors such as aviation by offering both conventional fuels and lower-carbon alternatives.
Under the EU’s ReFuelEU Aviation initiative, fuel suppliers must provide increasing volumes of SAF to airports from 2025 onwards. The policy includes specific targets for synthetic fuels such as e-kerosene, which remain at early stages of commercialisation.
Read more:There’s a long road ahead for e-fuels
A report by the non-governmental organisation Transport & Environment notes that while 25 industrial projects aim to produce 1.7 million tonnes of e-kerosene by 2030, this exceeds the 600,000-tonne target set by EU regulation. However, no major project has yet reached a final investment decision, illustrating the ongoing uncertainties in the nascent market.
