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Rabat – Moroccan flagship carrier Royal Air Maroc (RAM) and Afriquia SMDC launched on Saturday the first carbon-neutral flight in Africa using Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF).
The flight took off from Mohammed V Airport in Casablanca and landed at Blaise Diagne Airport in Dakar on Saturday, a joint statement from Royal Air Maroc and SMDC said.
The airline used a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner to operate the flight, which was launched in conjunction with the 28th Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP28) in Dubai.
The flight, which carried 302 passengers, used nearly 9 tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel, 40% of the required quantity. The flight avoided the emission of approximately 23 tonnes of CO2.
Royal Air Maroc expressed satisfaction with the launch of the flight, connecting two African countries.
“This operation is part of our efforts to contribute to the development of research and experiments conducted by the industry, researchers, and specialists to significantly reduce carbon impact in the aviation sector,” a statement quoted CEO of RAM Abdelhamid Addou as saying.
Afriquia SMDC Said El Baghdadi echoed the same sentiment, emphasizing the benefits of the alliance with Royal Air Maroc.
Describing the flight as a new milestone, El Baghadadi said that “this is essential to achieve the decarbonization of air transport.”
“As part of its proactive environmental strategy, Afriquia SMDC is firmly committed to exploring all possible solutions to integrate long-term sustainability goals into Moroccan air transport,” he added.
The launch of the flight is in line with Morocco’s carbon-neutrality initiatives.
A new study from Utility Bidder said Morocco ranked 10th on the list of countries with the lowest carbon footprints in the aviation sector.
The data based its outcomes from statistics compiled by the World Bank and AirPort tracker, showing an average footprint per passenger per kilometer in Morocco of 83 grams.
Morocco’s low carbon footprint per traveler is especially impressive given the country’s profile as a tourism hotspot.
