Furukawa Electric, ENEOS and Sumitomo Warehouse Launch SAF Collaboration to Cut Scope 3 Emissions
Furukawa Electric, ENEOS Corporation and The Sumitomo Warehouse Co. have launched a collaborative initiative to reduce Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions through the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in air cargo transportation.
The partnership operates under the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s “Promotion of SAF Utilization in Air Cargo Transportation for Corporate Scope 3 Emissions Reduction” program and represents a new approach to decarbonising logistics supply chains in Japan.
Under the initiative, Sumitomo Warehouse, acting as the cargo agent, and Furukawa Electric, as the cargo owner, entered into an agreement covering the trading of SAF environmental attributes. ENEOS provided the SAF-related emissions reduction certificates through its environmental attribute management scheme, enabling greenhouse gas reductions to be allocated across the air cargo supply chain.
The companies stated that the arrangement allows end-to-end use of SAF environmental attributes without requiring cargo agents to independently operate their own SAF tracking or management systems. The model is intended to simplify participation in low-carbon aviation initiatives while accelerating emissions reductions in international freight transport.
Through the program, ENEOS issued greenhouse gas emissions reduction certificates corresponding to the amount of SAF used for air cargo shipments managed by Sumitomo Warehouse on behalf of Furukawa Electric. The system creates a mechanism for recognizing and distributing emissions reductions associated with SAF usage across multiple participants in the logistics chain.
The initiative reflects growing efforts by corporations to address Scope 3 emissions, which include indirect emissions generated throughout supply chains and transportation networks. For many industrial and manufacturing companies, logistics and freight transport represent a significant portion of total corporate carbon footprints.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel is considered one of the most important near-term solutions for reducing emissions in the aviation sector, particularly for long-haul cargo and passenger transport where electrification remains technologically challenging. SAF is typically produced from renewable or waste-derived feedstocks such as used cooking oil, biomass, municipal waste and agricultural residues, offering significantly lower lifecycle emissions compared to conventional jet fuel.
The collaboration also highlights the increasing role of public policy in supporting SAF market development. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s subsidy program is designed to encourage wider adoption of SAF by helping companies offset the additional costs associated with low-carbon aviation fuel use.
The three companies stated that the partnership will contribute to broader decarbonisation efforts in the air cargo transportation sector while supporting greenhouse gas emissions reductions across the entire supply chain.
As pressure grows on companies to meet net-zero targets and improve supply chain transparency, similar SAF environmental attribute models may become increasingly important in helping businesses reduce indirect transportation emissions without requiring direct operational control over fuel procurement or airline operations.
