DB Schenker and Volvo Cars have decided to partner on ocean freight sustainability, shipping 12,000 TEUs with automotive spare parts on vessels using biofuel that will reduce CO2 emissions by 84% per container.
In total over a year, this saves roughly 9,000 tons of CO2 compared to ocean freight vessels powered by fossil fuel, according to a statement.
The programme started in June and connects, among others, Volvo Cars’ Gothenburg production plant in Sweden with the ports of Savannah, Newark, and New York in the United States.
DB Schenker said the renewable fuel used for these transports is certified by an independent third-party and not produced in competition with food crops. Therefore, it has less impact on the environment in accordance with the European Union (EU) Renewable Energy Directive (RED).
When renewable fuel is not available on a specific shipment for Volvo Cars, it will be used for another customer’s transport elsewhere and allocated to Volvo Cars through a methodology called mass-balancing. This method is third-party audited regularly and ensures that the overall cut in fossil fuel is on par with the actual use in container vessels.
Thorsten Meincke, global board member for Air & Ocean Freight at DB Schenker, commented, “We are proud that a recognized brand such as Volvo Cars joins us at DB Schenker on our way to a future of cleaner logistics. Our promise is to support customers in reducing their Scope 3 emissions coming from transportation and distribution. We will only succeed in shaping sustainable supply chains, if shippers, forwarders, and carriers work closely together.”
