Following the agreement, DHL's shipments carried by Hapag-Lloyd, some 18k TEUs initially, will be transported using advanced biofuels.
The bunker is based on raw biological materials (such as used cooking oil and other waste products) mixed with low sulphur fuel oil.
According to Hapag-Lloyd, the biofuel mix lowers greenhouse gas emissions by over 80% relative to a standard bunker.
The two are looking at reducing some 14kt of well-to-wake CO2 emissions thanks to their cooperation.
"The decarbonisation of heavy transport is an important challenge that the entire industry needs to rethink. That is why we are very proud to have found a partner in Hapag-Lloyd that shares the same ambitions for a climate-neutral world as anchored in the Paris Agreement. Together we want to pave the way for Book & Claim and insetting mechanisms to make it easier for shippers to use sustainable fuels," Dominique von Orelli, DHL Global Forwarding's Global Head of Ocean Freight, commented.
Danny Smolders, Managing Director Global Sales at Hapag-Lloyd, added, "We are very happy to have signed this contract on using a considerable amount of advanced biofuel with DHL, as we both share the values and ambition to protect our environment and move towards a greener future. Biofuel will play a significant role in the upcoming years on our path to becoming net-zero carbon by 2045. This project will bring us a step closer to offering our customers biofuel-powered transportation as a commercial product and thereby to supporting them in their efforts to reduce their carbon footprint."
Hapag-Lloyd has been testing advanced biofuels since 2020. The carrier offers the CO2-equivalent reduction as a 'Green Product' on a TEU-basis, transferred to customers to help reduce their Scope 3 emissions (all other indirect emissions that occur in a company's value chain).
Besides using biofuels and other measures to lower logistics-related emissions, DHL Global Forwarding also offers full lifecycle emission compensation. The company intends to become net-zero by mid-century.
Photo: DHL Global Forwarding