DHL to decarbonize all LCL ocean freight from Jan 1 without additional costs

October 1, 2020: DHL Global Forwarding will be neutralizing the carbon emissions of all less-than-container load (LCL) ocean freight shipments from January 1, 2021.

“DHL is committed to lead the transition to clean and sustainable sea freight transport. The CO2 compensation for all LCL shipments will be achieved by using maritime biofuels, utilizing existing and new partnerships.”

 Tim Scharwath, CEO DHL Global Forwarding, Freight, said, "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.”

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.

Kelvin Leung, CEO, DHL Global Forwarding Asia Pacific, said, "The Asia Pacific region plays a key role in global trade and is in a unique position to advance the sustainability agenda in freight transportation. The introduction of our decarbonization initiative is in line with the United Nation's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which has been adopted by many countries in the region, and we hope that our commitment will inspire other industry players and customers alike to demand greener services to build a sustainable future.”  

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Sustainability standards
Deutsche Post DHL Group has been exploring renewable fuels as an important lever to minimize ocean freights' impact on the environment. Key criteria in evaluating the suitability of renewable fuels are that they are produced sustainably and do not compete with other needs, for example with food production for land use. Following strict sustainability standards, the waste-based biofuels must meet the requirements to be qualified as the cleanest biofuels currently available on the market.

Burn Less, Burn Clean
Based on the principles "Burn Less, Burn Clean", the engagement within Deutsche Post DHL Group's global GoGreen program also aims to optimize the carbon efficiency of the company's transport network, fleet, and real estate.  This includes reducing energy consumption, increasing the use of renewable energy sources and fuels, and optimizing transportation networks as well as pick-up and delivery routing. Furthermore, transport subcontractors are encouraged to acquire low-emission vehicles and employees are educated to apply environmentally friendly thinking, through training and other activities.