Unimot carries out 1st physical delivery of sustainable aviation fuel in Poland

Photo: Unimot

Unimot Aviation, a member of the Unimot Group, has carried out what the company said was Poland’s first physical delivery of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to a Polish airport.

The fuel was delivered to the Katowice International Airport in Pyrzowice, which is an important step towards decarbonization of air transport in Poland.

It is also a clear indication of the company’s readiness to provide comprehensive services in the new regulatory environment, which from 2025 requires the use of SAF at the level of least 2 percent of the total weight of aviation fuel at airports meeting the definition of “EU airport.”

SAF is produced from vegetable oils, animal fats and agricultural waste, among other feedstocks, and can contribute about 65 percent of the emissions reductions needed for the aviation sector to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

In accordance with European regulations, as of Jan. 1, 2025, all EU airports handling more than 800,000 passengers per year (or 100,000 tons of cargo) are required to use SAF at a rate of no less than 2 percent of the total weight of aviation fuel.

Given these criteria, eight airports in Poland will be subject to this obligation.

“At Unimot Aviation, we have strong logistics facilities that allow us to operate quickly and efficiently,” said Adam Sikorski, the CEO of Unimot S.A.

“We want to be not just a supplier but a comprehensive partner for airlines and airports in Poland—supporting them in adapting to new regulations and building a more sustainable future for aviation,” Sikorski added. “In the context of global efforts to reduce emissions, alternative fuels such as SAF will only grow in importance.”

The delivery to the Katowice Airport culminated with Unimot Aviation Services refueling an Airbus A320 aircraft for the April 23 flight to Marsa Alam (RMF), Egypt.

It was the first refueling of a cruise plane with SAF in Poland.

“Thanks to Unimot Aviation, the Katowice Airport has become the first one in Poland to accept the physical delivery of sustainable jet fuel,” said Artur Tomasik, the CEO of Górnośląskie Towarzystwo Lotnicze S.A.

“Thank you for choosing our port, this is an important signal for the market,” Tomasik added. “Construction of a multimodal freight and fuel transshipment hub based on a railroad siding is underway at the Katowice Airport, the investment for which has been subsidized by the European Union and will be completed in the middle of next year. When put into operation, it will be Poland’s most modern airport infrastructure for storing and distributing aviation fuel, including SAF.”

Unimot Aviation said it has strengthened its position in the passenger-aviation sector in Poland, a country with an extensive aviation infrastructure that includes 14 public airports and more than 60 aeroclub airports.