Captura to Supply Ocean-Captured CO2 for Franco-Canadian eSAF Facility in France

A Franco-Canadian consortium is moving forward with plans to build one of Europe's most ambitious electro-sustainable aviation fuel (eSAF) facilities, bringing together direct ocean capture technology and green hydrogen at a southern France port.

SAF+ International Group has selected California-based Captura as its CO2 supplier for a planned eSAF production facility at the Port of Port-La-Nouvelle in France. The facility is targeting annual production of 75,000 tonnes of eSAF by combining green hydrogen with CO2 pulled directly from seawater.

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The project was formally announced at the Hyvolution Paris 2026 trade show and is designed to help airlines comply with RefuelEU, the EU regulation that mandates increasing SAF blends starting in 2025, with eSAF-specific requirements kicking in by 2030. The fuel would carry roughly a 90% reduction in emissions compared to conventional kerosene and is certified under ASTM D7566 and FT-SPK standards, making it a drop-in-ready option for existing aircraft.

What Makes This Project Different

Direct Ocean Capture as a CO2 Source

Most eSAF projects rely on CO2 from industrial emitters or direct air capture. This one draws from the ocean. Captura's direct ocean capture (DOC) technology works by pulling seawater, removing its dissolved CO2, and returning the treated water, which then absorbs more carbon from the atmosphere. The system runs on electricity and requires no chemical inputs or waste disposal, an advantage when scaling.

The company validated its DOC technology through a year-long joint qualification program with Equinor at a 1,000-tonne-per-year pilot facility in Kona, Hawaii, testing performance across 20 critical metrics including CO2 removal efficiency, safety, and monitoring and verification.

"2030 is just around the corner! Following Hyvolution, it is thanks to our local partners that we are bringing our commitment to life in France with a site in Port-la-Nouvelle that combines innovation, industrial performance, and local impact," said Pierre Gonthier, CEO of SAF+ International Group.

A Deep Partner Network

The project brings together a broad coalition of industrial and energy players: BBA Consultants, Schneider Electric, Topsoe, Sasol, and port operator SEMOP Port La Nouvelle, alongside an unnamed airline partner.

Hans Kerstens, CEO of SEMOP Port La Nouvelle, said the project "aligns directly with the port's development strategy" and its ambition to become a reference industrial port for the energy transition. Port-La-Nouvelle was chosen for its logistics infrastructure and proximity to an established industrial cluster.

The Canadian Embassy in France also weighed in, describing the collaboration as a reflection of shared commitments between the two countries toward a low-carbon industrial economy.

Why eSAF, and Why Now

Aviation is one of the harder sectors to decarbonize. Battery-electric aircraft remain years away for commercial long-haul use, and biofuels face feedstock limitations at scale. eSAF addresses both constraints by using renewable electricity, green hydrogen, and captured CO2 to produce a synthetic fuel that works in today's planes with no infrastructure changes required.

The RefuelEU mandate creates a firm regulatory pull. Airlines operating within the EU will need to blend a set percentage of SAF starting in 2025, with the eSAF-specific share growing from 2030 onward. Projects like the Port-La-Nouvelle facility are being positioned to meet that demand before the deadline arrives.

About Captura

Captura is a California-based direct ocean capture company developing technology that removes CO2 from seawater using only ocean water and renewable electricity. Its pilot facility in Kona, Hawaii has completed commercial validation in partnership with Equinor, and the company is currently evaluating commercial-scale DOC sites across Europe, the UK, and the Asia-Pacific region.

About SAF+ International Group

SAF+ International Group is a Canada-based producer of electro-sustainable aviation fuel. Its first commercial-scale facility, planned for Montreal, is targeted for commissioning by 2028 and is designed to process approximately 270,000 metric tons of CO2 annually. SAF+ has existing supply agreements with major airline groups and is expanding its production footprint across Europe and North America.