DHL Global Forwarding, the air and ocean freight unit of Deutsche Post DHL Group, announced the expansion of its GoGreen Plus Service to air cargo to provide real emissions reductions through carbon insetting.

It said after successfully introducing the GoGreen Plus Service for ocean freight, customers can now also easily neutralize their CO2 emissions for air freight on all trade lanes.

DHL noted that following the one atmosphere approach, emissions are reduced by replacing the amount of conventional fossil fuel needed with sustainable fuel and customers can easily pick and choose which parts of their supply chain they want to truly decarbonize.

"The launch of Deutsche Post DHL Group's decarbonized range of GoGreen Plus products is a crucial milestone in making the global logistics industry greener and more sustainable," DHL said in a statement, adding that other divisions are also in the process of developing their GoGreen Plus Service within the DHL Group.

"Every airplane and vessel emit their exhaust gases into the same atmosphere, and it is not decisive on which route or which means of transport biofuels are used," says Thomas Mack, global head of air freight at DHL Global Forwarding. "From a technological standpoint, our GoGreen Plus Service is currently the simplest, most efficient and sustainable way to reduce CO2 emissions in transportation."

DHL explained that the GoGreen Plus Service is based on the displacement principle: the more customers book the service; the more alternative fuel or clean technology is used - making transport chains greener step by step.

Following this principle, the appropriate amount of biofuel is purchased for the respective air or ocean freight shipment and used in the partners' ships and aircrafts.

DHL is aiming to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

It said the new product offering is part of the Group's mid-term sustainability roadmap for 2030 and contributes to the sub-target of having at least 30% of fuel requirements covered by sustainable fuels.

To reduce CO2 emissions in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, the DHL Group has said it will spend €7 billion in sustainable fuel and clean technologies by 2030.