Sasol signs fuel supply deal with White Desert for polar flights

Rubis SCA

15/09/2026 10:00

CAPE TOWN, Sept 15 (Reuters) - South African petrochemical company Sasol SOLJ.J on Tuesday signed an agreement to supply co-processed sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to luxury tourism outfit, White Desert, for its polar trips to Antarctica, company officials said.
The deal is the next step in Sasol's cleaner jet fuel journey after receiving independent certification from  German agency TUV SUD agency in April for its sustainable aviation fuel.
The co-processed SAF is produced using cooking oil and vegetable oil at the company's 108,500 barrels per day Natref plant that primarily runs on crude oil.
Touting the new deal as Africa's first commercial SAF supply agreement, Sasol is seeking similar deals with larger European and Middle Eastern airlines, Danie Cronje, senior vice president for business building, strategy and technology told Reuters.
White Desert, which operates one flight a week from Cape Town to Antarctica during its November to February season, said the first flight using Sasol's SAF on an Airbus A340-600 is scheduled to take place sometime in November.
The company, which sourced sustainable SAF from Europe previously, turned to a local supplier after Sasol received its SAF certification, a senior official said.
Depending on customer demand, Natref, which is converting into a hybrid bio-refinery, is targeting one to two million litres this year, around 16 million in 2027 and up to 100 million litres by 2030.
Kenya Airways KQNA.NR and Rubis Energy Kenya, a unit of France's Rubis RUBF.PA, signed a non-binding deal in May to develop what they said was Africa's first dedicated sustainable aviation fuel refinery.
This greenfield plant, which will use animal fats and waste vegetable oils, is expected to meet strict EU rules on what constitutes sustainable SAF amid a debate in Europe that has seen airlines pushing back against guidelines.

 (Reporting by Wendell Roelf;
Editing by Anathi Madubela)
 ((wendell.roelf@thomsonreuters.com; +27 21 461 3523;))