Posted on December 17, 2025
HOUSTON and ROTTERDAM – Swiss aviation technology company Metafuels has awarded a contract to McDermott for front-end engineering and design (FEED) of its Turbe project, a first-of-a-kind synthetic sustainable aviation fuel (e-SAF) production facility to be built at the Evos terminal in the Port of Rotterdam.
The Turbe plant will be the first commercial deployment of Metafuels’ proprietary methanol-to-jet technology, aerobrew, designed to produce drop-in e-SAF compatible with existing aircraft and infrastructure. The facility will play a critical role in advancing scalable, cost-efficient aviation decarbonisation across Europe.
The FEED represents the final engineering stage prior to a final investment decision (FID). Under the contract, McDermott will perform basic engineering and design services to define and optimise the technical specification of the plant as well as cost estimating services.
Saurabh Kapoor, Chief Executive Officer of Metafuels, commented: “Selecting McDermott for this crucial engineering phase marks a defining moment in our journey towards scalable e-SAF production. With implementation of our demonstration plant at PSI and Turbe advancing towards FID, we are steadily industrialising our aerobrew technology. Europe has set ambitious decarbonisation targets—and with project partners like McDermott and Evos, we are building the capacity needed to make those targets achievable.”
“The Turbe plant is a bold step toward decarbonizing aviation through commercial deployment of Metafuels’ aerobrew advanced SAF technology,” said Rob Shaul, McDermott’s Senior Vice President of Low Carbon Solutions. “Our unrivaled front-end development capabilities, deep technical expertise and proven delivery of full-cycle SAF solutions ensures flexibility while prioritizing implementation to bring the concept to fruition.”
The agreement marks a major step forward as Metafuels progresses from technology demonstration to industrial-scale deployment—a key milestone in its industrialization journey.
In 2025, Metafuels has achieved several important milestones:
- The Turbe e-SAF plant in Rotterdam entered its FEED phase, advancing towards FID.
- Metafuels’ 50 liters per day (L/d) methanol-to-jet demonstration plant has been installed at the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) in Switzerland.
- The company continues to expand its European footprint, following the opening of its Dutch subsidiary company Metafuels Nederland B.V.
The commencement of FEED for the Rotterdam facility is a critical technical milestone and a significant upfront investment decision, de-risking the project and moving it decisively towards FID. These steps help ensure that Europe’s e-SAF targets are met with reliable, cost-effective supply that is already is in place.
Delivering affordable, scalable e-SAF for Europe’s decarbonisation goals
Metafuels focuses on the production of synthetic sustainable aviation fuel made via the e-methanol route which uses renewable electricity as the primary energy source (e-SAF).
Metafuels’ differentiator is cost leadership, achieved through the ability to convert e-methanol into e-SAF with a significantly higher yield, ensuring a more efficient and cost-effective process. Metafuels’ signature e-SAF, aerobrew, can replace conventional kerosene regardless of the size, type of aircraft, and short-haul or long-haul flights.
Integration of Metafuels’ aerobrew process into the overall wire-to-wing e-SAF value chain leads to up to 90 percent lower lifecycle carbon emissions compared to conventional kerosene.
The Turbe facility will serve as a blueprint for future large-scale e-SAF production aligned with EU and global mandates, including ReFuelEU Aviation and CORSIA, which call for a rapid increase in SAF blending from 2030 onward.
Building the foundation for a low-carbon aviation future:
With its technology now moving into deployment, Metafuels is positioned as one of Europe’s leading SAF innovators, focused on cost leadership, high carbon efficiency and readiness for large-scale commercial roll-out.
The company’s ongoing projects in Switzerland, Denmark and the Netherlands form the backbone of a European e-SAF production network designed to scale in line with regulatory mandates and market demand through 2030 and beyond.
With e-SAF sub-mandates under ReFuelEU Aviation coming into force from 2030, Turbe is being developed explicitly to ensure commercial-scale e-SAF is available in time to meet those obligations.
Press contact – Metafuels:
Harry Ashcroft | Perseid PR
harry@perseidpr.com
Press contact – McDermott:
Global Media Relations
Reba Reid
+1 281 588 5636
RReid@McDermott.com
About Metafuels:
Metafuels is a Zurich-based aviation technology company developing proprietary sustainable fuel technologies, with an initial focus on synthetic aviation fuel. Metafuels’ Aerobrew process converts renewable methanol into jet fuel with ultra-high carbon efficiency, delivering up to 90% lower lifecycle emissions than fossil kerosene. The company’s fuels are fully compatible with existing aircraft and airport infrastructure, providing a direct, scalable pathway to aviation decarbonisation.
For more information, visit metafuels.ch
About McDermott:
McDermott is a premier, fully-integrated provider of engineering and construction solutions to the energy industry. Our customers trust our technology-driven approach engineered to responsibly harness and transform global energy resources into the products the world needs. From concept to commissioning, McDermott’s innovative expertise and capabilities advance the next generation of global energy infrastructure—empowering a brighter, more sustainable future for us all. Operating in over 30 countries, McDermott’s locally-focused and globally-integrated resources include more than 30,000 employees, a diversified fleet of specialty marine construction vessels and fabrication facilities around the world.
To learn more, visit www.mcdermott.com
