About three weeks ago, and still very present: this his question was at the centre of the workshop “Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) and Potential for Egypt”, held on 24 August 2026 at AHK Egypt within the framework of the Egyptian-German Green Hydrogen Partnership (GH2P). The workshop was implemented by GIZ and supported by the German-Arab Chamber of Industry and Commerce (AHK Egypt).
Building on a business roundtable on green aviation & maritime fuels, held in May 26 , this deep dive event on SAF brought together representatives from government, the aviation sector, industry, project development, financial institutions and technical experts. Together, participants explored the opportunities and challenges associated with developing a competitive SAF value chain in Egypt, currently primary based on biogenic feedstock. This was enriched by business and expert presentations on
- International aviation regulations and sustainability requirements
- SAF production pathways and the availability of sustainable feedstocks.
- Certification, traceability and chain-of-custody systems, including also requirements for eSAF (as "renewable fuel of non-biological origin"), based on hydrogen in view of increasing eSAF mandates in the mid-term future
A central part of the workshop addressed the international regulatory framework for aviation, including the role of ICAO and CORSIA. Participants highlighted that SAF projects must comply with relevant sustainability, certification and emissions-accounting requirements if their emission reductions are to be recognised internationally.
Participants also learned more about the SAFFly project in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, one of the pioneering SAF projects currently being developed in Egypt. The project is expected to contribute to building local production capacities and strengthening Egypt’s position along the SAF value chain.
Another important topic was the traceability of SAF. Participants discussed physical and virtual chain-of-custody models, including mass balance, co-processing and Book & Claim approaches. While Book & Claim systems could support the development and market uptake of SAF, questions remain regarding their practical implementation, regulatory treatment and international recognition.
The exchange demonstrated: Egypt offers several promising advantages as a potential SAF production hub: its strategic geographical location, existing industrial and energy infrastructure, and access to international markets. At the same time, the discussions underlined the importance of securing sustainable local feedstocks and establishing clear regulatory and investment frameworks.
Through the Egyptian-German Green Hydrogen Partnership and its implementing actors on behalf of the energy ministries of both countries (BMW, MoERE and MoPMR), Egyptian and German stakeholders will continue working together to translate this dialogue into practical opportunities for sustainable fuels in Egypt.
