ENOC and MENA Biofuels Sign Strategic MoU at Dubai Airshow to Accelerate UAE Sustainable Aviation Fuel Ecosystem

Partnership to unlock offtake and distribution of UAE-produced SAF, supporting national decarbonisation goals

Dubai, UAE; 18 November 2025: HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Chairman of ENOC Group, a leading integrated global energy player, witnessed the signing of a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ENOC and MENA Biofuels, part of the Mercantile & Maritime Group, at the Dubai Airshow 2025. The MoU will see the two parties collaborate on the offtake, supply, and distribution of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) produced in the UAE.

Al Tayer said: “With the vision and directives of the wise leadership, the UAE has reinforced its position as a leading global hub for clean energy and advanced technologies. Our partnership with MENA Biofuels aligns with the nation’s efforts to build an integrated sustainable aviation fuel ecosystem that contributes to the UAE’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel General Policy and the Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative. This agreement opens new horizons for value chain integration within the sustainable fuel sector and enables national companies to accelerate the development of alternative solutions capable of supporting the competitiveness of the aviation industry and leading decarbonisation efforts in the region and globally. The MoU also represents an important step towards enhancing our national capabilities in the large-scale production, supply, and distribution of low-carbon aviation fuel, using innovative solutions that help to expedite the future transformation of the aviation sector.”

Under the MoU, ENOC and MENA Biofuels will assess opportunities to integrate SAF supply from the UAE’s first commercial-scale SAF production facility, currently under development by Mena Biofuels in the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone (FOIZ). The USD 300 million facility will convert used cooking oil and other waste-based feedstocks into certified SAF, producing 125 million litres annually in Phase I, with plans to expand to 250 million litres per year in Phase II. The plant is expected to contribute up to 36% of the UAE’s 2030 SAF target, positioning Fujairah as a regional hub for low-carbon fuel innovation.

“Developing a national SAF ecosystem requires the full value chain to scale together - from production to distribution and reliable offtake. This partnership reflects ENOC's  alignment with the UAE's national priorities,” said Hussain Sultan Lootah, Acting CEO of ENOC Group. “We are focused on making Sustainable Aviation Fuel commercially viable and operationally sustainable.  

This MoU with ENOC marks an important step in establishing a fully localised SAF supply chain for the UAE. By aligning our production capabilities with ENOC’s distribution strength, we are advancing the UAE’s SAF Roadmap 2030 and accelerating the transition to low-carbon aviation.” Said H.E. Mohamed Saeed Al Raqbani, Chairman, MENA Biofuels.  Gati Al-Jebouri, Chief Executive Officer of MENA Biofuels, also added “our cooperation with ENOC creates the alignment needed to scale SAF production in the UAE and turn national targets into practical supply. It helps position the country as a regional centre for SAF and ensures that our output from MENA Biofuels contributes directly to the UAE’s 2030 roadmap.”

The partnership significantly bolsters the UAE’s domestic capacity to supply sustainable aviation fuel, not just locally but across the wider region. It exemplifies the critical, coordinated industry collaboration essential for rapidly scaling SAF production, distribution, and adoption, paving the way for a greener future in aviation.