Asia’s first ICAO-approved SAF certification scheme, ClassNK SCS, has entered full operation after its first certification was issued, creating a new certification route for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) economic operators across the regional supply chain.
The scheme, operated by Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK), received approval from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in October 2024. The first certification has now been issued by Nippon Kaiji Kentei Quality Assurance, acting as the certification body, to Kowanomori, a lumber producer.
The certification provides an operational example of how companies involved in SAF supply chains can obtain certification under ClassNK SCS through a certification body operating within the scheme.
First certification establishes ClassNK SCS operational pathway
The first certification marks the transition of ClassNK SCS from an approved framework to an operating certification scheme.
For SAF-related economic operators, certification is an important requirement where fuel is intended to qualify under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). Under the CORSIA framework, eligible sustainable aviation fuels must meet applicable sustainability and certification requirements before they can be recognised as CORSIA Eligible Fuel (CEF).
ClassNK said the first certification demonstrates the availability of a certification service designed around regional regulations and business environments.
Applications for certification under ClassNK SCS are now being accepted on an ongoing basis.
SAF certification supports CORSIA supply chains
The aviation industry is under increasing pressure to reduce emissions from international air transport, with CORSIA providing an international framework for addressing aviation-sector carbon emissions.
SAF is one of the principal pathways available to reduce the carbon intensity of aviation fuel compared with conventional jet fuel. However, its use within regulated international aviation markets depends not only on fuel production but also on verification across the relevant supply chain.
Economic operators subject to certification must obtain certification through a certification body operating under an ICAO-approved SAF certification scheme when seeking recognition as part of the CORSIA Eligible Fuel system.
This makes certification infrastructure an important component of the wider SAF market. Producers and other economic operators require recognised systems through which the relevant sustainability requirements can be assessed and documented.
Regional certification capacity could aid SAF supply-chain development
The launch of full operations for ClassNK SCS adds another certification option for SAF-related businesses operating in Asia.
The first certification was issued by Nippon Kaiji Kentei Quality Assurance rather than directly by ClassNK, demonstrating the role of certification bodies within the scheme. ClassNK said it intends to expand its network of certification bodies as the system develops.
This network could be particularly relevant as SAF supply chains become more geographically diverse. Certification needs to accommodate operators across different stages of the value chain while remaining aligned with international requirements.
The involvement of a lumber producer in the first certification also illustrates the potential relevance of certification beyond conventional petroleum and aviation-fuel businesses, particularly where different feedstocks and upstream supply chains become part of SAF production.
ClassNK plans wider certification network
ClassNK said it will continue expanding its certification-body network while working to develop a SAF certification framework in Asia and beyond.
The organisation’s stated objective is to support the development of an international supply chain for CORSIA Eligible Fuel and contribute to the expansion of SAF supply.
The development comes as SAF markets require not only production capacity and feedstock availability, but also the certification infrastructure needed to demonstrate compliance with international sustainability requirements.
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The full operation of ClassNK SCS highlights a less visible but essential part of SAF market development: certification capacity. Building SAF production facilities alone does not establish access to regulated international aviation markets; supply-chain participants also need recognised mechanisms for demonstrating compliance.
The significance of ClassNK SCS therefore extends beyond the first certificate. Its ability to expand its certification-body network and provide services suited to regional operating environments will be important in determining how effectively the scheme can support SAF supply chains in Asia.
For SAF producers, feedstock suppliers and other economic operators, the availability of an ICAO-approved certification route in the region could help strengthen the infrastructure required to connect emerging SAF projects with international aviation markets. The immediate milestone is the first certification; the longer-term test will be whether the scheme can scale alongside the region’s SAF supply-chain development.
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