Hong Kong warned reliable sustainable fuel is vital to aviation hub

Hong Kong’s position as an international aviation hub could be threatened if the city fails to secure a reliable supply of sustainable aviation fuel, the head of the government’s think tank has warned. Stephen Wong Yuen-shan, head of the Chief Executive’s Policy Unit, made the remarks at the Sustainable Aviation Futures China Congress on Tuesday, according to the South China Morning Post. Wong said the fuel supply would need to be not only dependable but also credibly certified.

The warning links the availability and verification of sustainable aviation fuel, known as SAF, to Hong Kong’s ability to retain its aviation-hub status. His comments came days after the government set out a fuel strategy in the city’s first five-year plan and policy address. The supplied material does not give details of the strategy, including targets, suppliers, certification arrangements or a timetable for implementation.

It also does not state how much SAF is currently available to airlines operating through Hong Kong, or identify any immediate shortfall. The report instead describes the need to establish a reliable and credible supply as a strategic concern for the aviation sector. The warning was made against a backdrop of mounting global pressure on aviation to use lower-emission fuels, although the supplied material provides no further details about that international context.