DHL Global Forwarding, the air and ocean freight specialist of Deutsche Post DHL Group, will be neutralizing the carbon emissions of all less-than-container load (LCL) ocean freight shipments from January 1, 2021.
As one of the major ocean freight forwarders worldwide, and in line with Deutsche Post DHL Group’s "Mission 2050 – Zero Emissions", DHL said it is committed to lead the transition to clean and sustainable sea freight transport.
It said the CO2 compensation for all LCL shipments will be achieved by using maritime biofuels, utilizing existing and new partnerships.
"To fight against climate change, the transport sector needs true decarbonization. For us at DHL Global Forwarding, sustainable fuel solutions are the key lever to change the fuel mix and ultimately reduce carbon emissions in ocean freight. This is why we have taken the decision to neutralize the carbon emission of all our LCL shipments. Even though we are in unprecedented times, due to the ongoing pandemic, we have to make sure that climate protection and sustainability efforts remain at the forefront", said Tim Scharwath, CEO DHL Global Forwarding, Freight.
Reduced carbon footprint
DHL Global Forwarding’s new green service is not only another important milestone on Deutsche Post DHL Group’s journey towards zero-emission logistics but also helps customers reduce their carbon footprint.
It said at no extra cost to the customer, the heavy oil that would ordinarily be used is replaced with sustainable marine biofuel onboard a preselected container vessel. In this way, true carbon neutralization is achieved.
The CO2-reduction benefits are allocated to the customer. In addition, DHL Global Forwarding has a GoGreen carrier evaluation program, which allows the freight forwarder to give preference to carriers with strong environmental performance.
The DHL Group has been exploring renewable fuels as an important lever to minimize ocean freights’ impact on the environment.
Its strategy is based on the principles "Burn Less, Burn Clean", and its global GoGreen program also aims to optimize the carbon efficiency of the company’s transport network, fleet, and real estate — including reducing energy consumption, increasing the use of renewable energy sources and fuels and optimizing transportation networks as well as pick-up and delivery routing.
DHL noted that with this step, DHL Global Forwarding is poised to become the first logistics service provider to offer truly climate-neutral ocean freight shipments without additional costs.
