Egypt signs first license agreement to produce sustainable aviation fuel

Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawi witnessed on Tuesday the signing of the country’s first production license agreement for a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) project, marking a significant step in Egypt’s drive toward green energy and emissions reduction.

The agreement was signed between the Egyptian Petrochemicals Holding Company (ECHEM), represented by the Egyptian Company for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (ESAF), and Honeywell UOP.

The ceremony was attended by ECHEM Chairman Ibrahim Mekki and Khaled Hashem, Honeywell’s president and CEO for the Middle East and Africa.

ESAF Chairman Tamer Heikal and Matt Spalding, vice president and general manager for Energy and Sustainable Solutions at Honeywell for Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and North Africa, signed the contract in the presence of senior officials from ECHEM, ESAF, and Honeywell.

Badawi said the project is the first of its kind in Egypt and represents a new step for the petroleum sector in supporting the state’s transition to green energy.

The facility, which will be established in Alexandria, will convert used cooking oil into aviation fuel with an annual production capacity of up to 120,000 tons, he added.