Taken together, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and operational improvements hold the promise of delivering almost two-thirds of the CO2 emissions reductions required to decarbonize international aviation by 2050.
ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar focussed on this priority in his discussions with leaders of Malaysia’s air transport and fuel sectors during his recent mission to Malaysia, which included a visit to the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia’s (CAAM) new state of the art Kuala Lumpur Air Traffic Control Centre (KLATCC).
Mr. Salazar was welcomed by Mohamad Radzuan Bin Mazlan, Under Secretary of the Ministry of Transport of Malaysia; the Deputy Chairman of CAAM’s Board of Directors, Dato' Mohamed Sharil Tarmizi; CAAM Board Member Tan Sri Prof Dato’ Dr Chuah Hean Teik; and the CAAM’s CEO and Director General, Dato’ Captain Norazman Mahmud.
The KLATCC is playing a crucial role in providing more efficient and seamless Air Traffic Management in the Region.
The review of the environmental and operational benefits of Malaysia’s exemplary air navigation investments was followed by discussions at the headquarters of Petroliam Nasional Bhd (PETRONAS), where the General Manager of Commercial Business, Hardeep Kirpal-Singh and his colleagues, presented the company’s SAF initiatives to Mr. Salazar and Dato’ Captain Norazman bin Mahmud.
The Secretary General welcomed the successful cooperation between PETRONAS and Malaysia Airlines, including the conclusion of landmark trial flights. He also hailed the formation of a special task force by the National Aerospace Industry Coordinating Office, under the leadership of the Malaysian Ministry of International Trade and Industry, to further drive the advocacy, promotion, and adoption of SAF, in line with the Twelfth Malaysia Plan and commitment toward a lower carbon future.
The Secretary General furthermore highlighted the importance of Malaysia sharing its expertise in this area at the upcoming Third ICAO Conference on Aviation and Alternative Fuels (CAAF/3).
Throughout his mission, which took place on 20 and 21 October 2023, Mr Salazar was accompanied by ICAO’s Deputy Regional Director for Asia and Pacific Region, Mr. Manjit Singh.
