DP World has selected Pledge to accurately measure the impact of its Modal Shift Programme (MSP), which financially incentivises cargo owners to switch from road to rail for freight transport from the Port of Southampton to railheads within a radius of 140 miles.
The programme also aims to address the current under-utilisation of the United Kingdom's rail freight network.
DP World aims for 40% rail freight share at Southampton by 2026
While the volume of cargo moved by rail from Southampton had previously dropped by ten percentage points in the decade leading to 2023, the MSP has reversed this trend, increasing the share of freight moved by rail from 21% to 30% since September 2023. The MSP has already removed 6,400 tonnes of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) in its first six months of operation.
This has made a significant contribution to the UK government’s 2050 target for a 75% increase in rail freight to reduce congestion and emissions on the roads.
By utilising Pledge, DP World can thus understand the exact impact of its programme, for every container that leaves the port by rail, and allows for the emissions reporting required by international, national and regional reporting regulations, as well as the figures required for customers’ emission reduction and offsetting targets.
