From Kitchen Waste to Jet Fuel: How LET Flexitank Is Powering the Global Energy Transition

Used cooking oil (UCO) exports are booming – and container flexitanks have become the mainstream choice for global biofuel logistics.

Did you know that the used cooking oil from your kitchen is now powering airplanes?

Used cooking oil (UCO), after refining, can be converted into biodiesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), widely used in ocean shipping and civil aviation. As the global aviation and shipping industries accelerate decarbonization, demand for UCO is exploding. And the container carrying this "green blood" across the oceans? A flexitank.

UCO Exports: The "Gold Resource" of the Global Energy Transition

China is the world's largest supplier of UCO. According to Chinese customs data, China's UCO exports reached a record high of nearly 3 million metric tons in 2024, with an export value of approximately $2.64 billion. In the first nine months of 2024 alone, China exported 2.125 million metric tons of UCO, a year-on-year increase of 55%.

In terms of export destinations, the United States was China's largest UCO export market in 2024, importing 1.27 million metric tons, up approximately 52% year-on-year and accounting for about 43% of China's total UCO exports. Meanwhile, the EU and the UK's mandatory blending policies continue to drive Chinese UCO exports – since January 2025, the EU and the UK have implemented mandatory SAF blending policies (with a 2% blending ratio in 2025), further pushing up international demand for UCO.

In addition, China implemented a SAF export whitelist system in 2025, with cumulative SAF export quotas reaching approximately 1.2 million metric tons for the year. In the first four months of 2026, China's SAF exports reached 261,000 metric tons. Industry forecasts indicate that with the formal implementation of the EU's Renewable Energy Directive III (RED III) in 2026, EU demand for UCO-based biodiesel will increase by 4 million metric tons, reaching a total of 7.74 million metric tons.

These figures clearly demonstrate: the global biofuel industry is expanding at high speed, and international trade in UCO as a core raw material will continue to flourish.

The Challenge of Traditional Packaging: High Cost, Low Efficiency, and Contamination Risks

Before the large-scale adoption of flexitanks, UCO exports relied primarily on drums or IBC totes. These traditional methods have three major pain points:

• High cost: Per-container logistics costs are far higher than flexitank solutions

• Low efficiency: Loading and unloading are time-consuming, with high labor costs

• High contamination risk: Reused containers pose cross-contamination risks – and UCO, as a biofuel feedstock, demands the highest purity and traceability. One contamination incident can render an entire batch worthless.

Flexitanks: The Optimal Solution for UCO Shipping

Container flexitanks are revolutionizing the way UCO is transported:

✅ Single-use, zero cross-contamination
LET flexitanks are single-use – open, fill, and recycle. This eliminates any possibility of UCO coming into contact with contaminants, ensuring the purity of every batch.

✅ High payload, significant cost advantage
A 20-foot standard container with a flexitank can carry 16 to 26 metric tons of UCO. Compared to drums, payload per container is significantly increased, and total logistics costs can be reduced by over 30%.

✅ Fast loading and unloading, quick turnaround
Flexitank filling and discharge processes are simple, requiring no complex equipment – dramatically reducing port turnaround time and labor costs.

✅ Seamless global multimodal transport
The standard 20-foot container + flexitank combination enables seamless sea, rail, and road transport. Whether exporting to Europe, Southeast Asia, or the Americas, one solution works everywhere.

LET Flexitank: The Professional Choice for Biofuel Shipping

LET Packaging Technology (LET), established in 2008, has focused for over a decade on the R&D, design, and production of containerized transport packaging for non-hazardous liquids and flowable materials. For the specific needs of UCO and biofuel shipping, LET offers customized flexitank solutions:

• Food-grade PE film: Ensures UCO purity and prevents contamination

• Strong anti-oxidation barrier layer: Prevents oil oxidation and preserves quality

• Full-chain quality control: From film blowing to valve production, from raw materials to finished products – all produced in-house

• International certifications: Products comply with FDA, EC, Kosher, and Halal standards

Powering the Global Energy Transition – Together with LET

From kitchen waste to jet fuel, from Chinese ports to destinations worldwide – flexitanks are becoming the infrastructure of global energy logistics. LET flexitank helps biofuel reach every corner of the globe – safely, efficiently, and cost-effectively.

Learn more about UCO and biofuel flexitank shipping solutions:
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