Lufthansa Cargo is accelerating its sustainability strategy by expanding partnerships around Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) while introducing new automation technologies at its Frankfurt logistics hub.
The German cargo carrier has developed a structured framework for SAF adoption based on three-year agreements with customers and logistics partners.
According to the company, the model provides long-term planning certainty while allowing additional SAF volumes to be integrated gradually as supply increases.
Bettina Petzold, head of corporate responsibility at Lufthansa Cargo, said the approach is designed to support measurable reductions in carbon emissions across global supply chains.
“The market ramp-up of SAF requires reliability, transparency and long-term collaboration,” she explained.
One example of this approach is Lufthansa Cargo’s partnership with CEVA Logistics.
Following a multi-year SAF agreement signed in 2025, the companies have now expanded their cooperation with additional fuel volumes for 2026.
The initial agreement helped reduce approximately 8,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions, while the additional fuel volumes are expected to reduce emissions by a further 7,000 tonnes.
Alongside its sustainability initiatives, Lufthansa Cargo is also investing heavily in automation.
Since late 2025, the company has been operating autonomous tow tractors at its Lufthansa Cargo Center in Frankfurt.
The vehicles, developed by TractEasy, transport freight between import and export terminals and currently cover around 2,000 kilometers per month.
The project forms part of Lufthansa Cargo’s long-term plan to introduce a highly automated logistics system at its hub by 2030.
Future phases of the automation program will include autonomous vehicles designed to transport unit load devices (ULDs) as well as automated forklifts scheduled to be introduced in 2027.
The company is also developing centralized fleet management software to coordinate transport tasks among autonomous vehicles.
In addition to its technological initiatives, Lufthansa Cargo recently transported two rescued brown bears from Argentina to Bulgaria.
The animals, named Gordo and Florencia, were relocated from Buenos Aires to a wildlife sanctuary in Bulgaria using a Boeing 777 freighter and specialized animal transport facilities at Frankfurt Airport.
The operation required extensive logistical planning, veterinary preparation and international coordination to ensure the safe relocation of the animals.
Lufthansa Cargo said the project highlights the carrier’s continued expertise in handling specialized live-animal logistics alongside its broader cargo operations.
