MENA Mercantile & Maritime Group Partners With Indonesia’s Ministry Of Cooperatives For Sustainable Development

The Mercantile & Maritime Energy Pte. Ltd. (MENA), part of the Dubai-based Mercantile & Maritime Group, has partnered with Indonesia's Ministry of Cooperatives (KEMENKOP) and the Indonesian Cooperatives Council (DEKOPIN). They signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop a used cooking oil ecosystem in Indonesia through cooperatives. This agreement aims to make cooperatives central to collecting and developing Indonesia's UCO value chain.

This collaboration aligns with the UAE's renewable-fuels goals, as MENA Biofuels, a subsidiary of the Mercantile & Maritime Group, is working on establishing the first commercial Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production facility in Fujairah. Such sustainable feedstock partnerships support the UAE’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel Roadmap 2030 and its Net Zero 2050 objectives.

Murtaza Lakhani, CEO and Founder of Mercantile & Maritime Group, remarked on the significance of this MoU. "Signing this MoU is an important first step. Going forward, MENA will continue to invest in cooperatives and in sectors that have long been overlooked by investors, including the development of the used cooking oil ecosystem. Our focus is not only on deploying capital, but on building real, transparent, and inclusive value chains together with local partners across Indonesia."

Ferry Joko Yuliantono, Minister of Cooperatives of Indonesia, highlighted how this partnership encourages cooperatives to advance within a modern supply chain connected globally. "Through this cooperation, cooperatives are being encouraged to move up the value chain and become part of a modern, digitalised supply chain that is connected to global markets. The government will ensure the necessary policies and facilitation so that cooperatives can grow in a healthy manner, while at the same time delivering economic and environmental benefits to the community."

Bambang Haryadi, Chairman of DEKOPIN, explained their role in identifying cooperatives ready for involvement. "Through this partnership, DEKOPIN will play a role in mapping cooperatives that are ready to be involved, so that cooperative members can gain better access to financing, mentoring, and more secure offtake arrangements." This initiative aims to provide cooperative members with improved financial access and guidance.

This agreement marks a significant step towards enhancing Indonesia’s UCO value chain through cooperative involvement. It also strengthens ties between Indonesian cooperatives and one of the UAE’s leading private-sector energy groups. By fostering such partnerships, both nations aim to achieve mutual economic and environmental benefits.

With inputs from WAM