DSV collaborates with Google Cloud on sustainable aviation fuel

DSV announced Nov. 11 that it is working with Google Cloud to enable sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for Google Cloud’s air freight, covering a key lane of its shipments.

The agreement is a pilot that lays the groundwork for a broader sustainability collaboration between the companies.

The deal secures up to 2.5 million gallons of SAF and reduces 25,000 metric tons of lifecycle greenhouse-gas emissions attributed to Google Cloud’s air freight, compared with conventional jet fuel.

This SAF is produced from waste and residue and reduces lifecycle greenhouse-gas emissions from aviation by 85 percent compared with conventional fossil jet fuel.

As supply remains limited, commitments from customers and logistics partners help build the demand required to scale up its use.

“Our customers want practical ways to lower the emissions of the goods they move,” said Frank Sobotka, the CEO of DSV’s air and sea division. “By combining Google Cloud’s ambition with our SAF program, we turn a sustainability goal into measurable results in air freight.”

In this pilot, DSV and Google Cloud participate through a book-and-claim methodology.

This allows emissions reductions to be allocated to Google Cloud independently of where the fuel is physically used, supporting transparent and scalable carbon reduction.

“This collaboration builds on our ongoing efforts to reduce emissions across Google Cloud’s global logistics operations,” said Brian Stewart, Google Cloud’s senior director of logistics. “Partnering on sustainable aviation fuel provides an auditable, transparent mechanism to address air-freight emissions while helping accelerate commercial demand for lower-carbon fuels.”

To ensure full transparency, the SAF is produced exclusively from waste and residue feedstocks, excluding palm and palm-derived materials, and is third-party certified under the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification scheme.

The environmental attributes are issued, transferred and retired through the independent Sustainable Aviation Fuel Certificate Registry (SAFc Registry), supported by DSV’s internal tracking.

Each ton of CO2e reduction is allocated to a specific shipper and protected against double-counting, creating a clear and auditable trail for Google Cloud’s emissions reporting.

Agreements like this help send a clear demand signal to the aviation sector, encouraging greater investment in sustainable fuels and supporting the transition toward lower-emission air freight.