CADO SAF Registry, 123Carbon, and Assure SAF Registry Collaborate on Interoperability Pilot to Strengthen SAF Attribute Integrity Across Sectors

24 February 2026

The Civil Aviation Decarbonization Organization (CADO), 123Carbon, and Assure SAF Registry have agreed to collaborate to implement interoperability between their respective Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) registries. The focus of the collaboration is to exchange verified SAF attribute integrity information among the registries, which is critical for the wider adoption of SAF globally.

“Ensuring the integrity of SAF registries is essential for the market to scale. Through this collaboration and pilot, the CADO SAF Registry and partners are putting in place the shared checks and standards needed to eliminate any risk of double counting and to maintain a single, trusted record of SAF emissions‑reduction claims. This will promote harmonization and standardization and increase transparency, all necessary in any market creation and all sorely lacking at the current junction. The prevailing fragmentation and bespoke nature of the SAF market are preventing rapid deployment and slowing airlines’ decarbonization. We are thrilled to partner with 123Carbon and 4Air in the interest of promoting a mature and global SAF market,” said Michael Schneider, CADO Executive Director.

“As a multimodal registry with over 150 users, 123Carbon is committed to not only providing integrity and trust, but also support efficient market transactions. The big advantage of this collaboration is that it provides an open technology-based ecosystem between peers without adding an extra governance layer. This pilot is only the first step in providing additional trust by avoiding double issuance of certificates. Since every registry has its own stakeholder group, the market expects us to collaborate. This means that deeper levels of interoperability are needed to support the market, e.g. by allowing transfers of certificates between registries,” said Jeroen van Heiningen, Managing Director, 123Carbon.

“Trustworthy SAF attribute tracking and defensible voluntary and regulatory claims depend on strong integrity controls across the entire ecosystem. Through 4AIR and the Assure registry, we focus on reinforcing that cornerstone via data transparency and validation. This interoperability pilot puts shared safeguards in place to substantiate SAF attributes across registries, identify duplication risks early, and preserve the credibility of SAF claims as the market expands and evolves,” said Jessica Masters, SAF Director, 4AIR.

The Details 

This collaboration aims to safeguard SAF attribute integrity by ensuring that SAF attributes representing the same emissions reduction are not registered, transferred, or retired more than once, thereby minimizing the risk of double issuance and double counting. By combining complementary market coverage, interoperability supports stakeholders across varied operational environments through a common integrity framework.

This will be tested in a pilot project over the first half of 2026. The pilot’s focus is on ensuring that the three systems align regarding key data requirements, shared terminology, and standardized interfaces, allowing them to exchange and reconcile SAF attribute information in a secure, confidential manner.

Interoperability of the participating registries will be managed by a committee with representatives from all participating registries. This structure will facilitate the inclusion of other registries meeting agreed integrity standards.

Technical FAQs: SAF Registry Interoperability Pilot

The collaboration addresses the risk of double issuance, meaning that the same underlying SAF emissions reduction could be registered, transferred, or retired across multiple registries without awareness, creating duplication or double counting.

The pilot tests technical mechanisms that allow registries to validate SAF attribute information across systems while preserving independence, confidentiality, and existing registry operations.

Only mission-relevant SAF attribute data required for validation and integrity checks is exchanged. This includes, at a high level:

  • SAF attribute identifiers and metadata
  • Sustainability certification references

Commercially sensitive information (such as pricing, counterparties, or contracts) is not exchanged.

Interoperability is implemented through:

  • Standardized data definitions and shared terminology
  • Agreed data formats for SAF attribute information
  • Secure, API-based interfaces that allow registries to query and validate information
  • Automated validation workflows to support near-real-time checks

The pilot focuses on foundational interoperability rather than full system integration or data replication.

No. Each registry retains its own system of record.

The pilot follows a decentralized model, where registries communicate directly with one another for validation purposes without relying on a central broker or shared database.

By enabling registries to:

  • Check whether SAF attributes associated with a specific emissions reduction have already been issued, transferred, or retired elsewhere
  • Flag potential duplication risks early in the lifecycle
  • Support resolution workflows where overlaps are identified

This strengthens safeguards while allowing each registry to maintain its own issuance and retirement logic.

The pilot uses:

  • Secure communication protocols
  • Authentication and authorization controls
  • Data minimization principles (only what is needed for validation is shared)

The collaboration does not involve sharing commercially sensitive or competitive information and operates in accordance with confidentiality, competition, and antitrust requirements.

No. The pilot does not replace or override existing registry rules, governance, or workflows.

Each registry:

  • Retains control over issuance, transfer, and retirement decisions
  • Continues to serve its existing users and markets
  • Uses interoperability as an additional integrity check, not a dependency for core operations

No specific technology stack is mandated.

Each registry continues to use its own underlying architecture (including blockchain or non-blockchain systems). Interoperability focuses on data validation at the registry level, not on aligning or standardizing internal ledger technologies.

The collaboration framework includes governance processes, overseen by the Collaboration Committee, to:

  • Review flagged duplication or inconsistency cases
  • Coordinate resolution between registries
  • Update technical or procedural guidance as needed

The pilot tests both technical detection and procedural response mechanisms.

Yes. The collaboration allows for additional registries to join through an accession process, subject to meeting defined integrity, governance, and technical requirements. We welcome other registries after concluding the pilot mid-2026.

The pilot is designed to be regime-agnostic, supporting both voluntary and regulatory SAF use cases by improving the reliability and auditability of underlying SAF attribute data.

It does not create new regulatory obligations or alter existing compliance rules.

After the pilot concludes in mid-2026, the Collaboration Committee will:

  • Evaluate technical performance and integrity outcomes
  • Identify improvements or refinements to data definitions and interfaces
  • Determine whether to expand scope, onboard additional participants, or formalize interoperability specifications

Technical engagement will be coordinated through the participating registries and the Collaboration Committee. Further details will be shared following pilot milestones and subject to governance approvals.

About CADO

The Civil Aviation Decarbonization Organization (CADO) was created in March 2025 to maintain and operate the IATA-developed SAF Registry. It is a not-for-profit organization established under Canadian law with its headquarters in Montreal.

CADO’s mission is to unite stakeholders across the SAF value chain and provide essential SAF market infrastructure – such as the CADO SAF Registry - with a view to creating a global, liquid, transparent, and open SAF market in which all producers and airlines can participate. This is necessary to scale up SAF supply and achieve net-zero CO2 emissions from air transport by 2050.

About 123Carbon

Developed collaboratively with the industry, for the industry, 123Carbon’s platform is an independent integrated registry for the verification, issuance, management and allocation of Environmental Attribute Certificates (EAC’s) to downstream supply chain partners (forwarders, cargo owners, and corporates) across all modalities. For the SAF market, we provide a fully airline-branded solution and partner with Skymetrix (the leader in aviation fuel and cost management solutions, supporting 135+ airlines) to offer an integrated fuel solution for both kerosene and SAF. For more information, please visit www.123carbon.com or contact info@123carbon.com

About Assure SAF Registry

Developed by aviation sustainability pioneer, 4AIR, the Assure SAF Registry is a cutting-edge blockchain-based platform designed to accelerate the adoption of sustainable fuels like SAF. By providing transparency, traceability, and comprehensive data collection, analysis, and secure sharing, it supports informed decision-making and regulatory compliance. It serves as a robust inventory management tool and registry to support physical or book-and-claim transactions. The registry fosters collaboration between fuel producers, distributors, airlines, and operators, ensuring that sustainable aviation solutions meet both industry goals and regulatory requirements. Learn more at assuresafregistry.com

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