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Tag: net zero

Pallet Reuse Incentive is a must

Posted on by David Priestman

The Timber Packaging & Pallet Confederation (TIMCON) says discussions with the UK’s DEFRA (department for environment & farming) on the implementation of a reuse incentive scheme for wooden packaging have been “extremely positive”.

The organisation, together with other wood product associations, have been campaigning for a reuse initiative with two central aims: to maximise the reuse of wooden pallets and packaging in supply chains and support the development of a circular economy.

The Scottish government this week cancelled its target of reducing greenhouse gases by 75 per cent by 2030, having missed eight of its last 12 annual climate goals. It is the latest organisation to soften flagship environmental objectives, with both the Conservative and Labour party having made U-turns on key policies in the past year.

TIMCON President John Dye said incentivising reuse was now a must to help maintaining progress towards net zero and sending out the positive messages to the UK public.

TIMCON has collaborated with other wood-based sectors and submitted a proposal to DEFRA to introduce a workable reuse framework as part of a Proposed Reuse Incentive Scheme document. The document has two goals: to maximise the number of times wooden packaging is reused before, ultimately, it is recycled; and to increase the use of wooden transport tools – including pallets, cases, crates, cable reels, and so on – in domestic and international supply chains.

The reuse framework includes information on how reuse should be incentivised, measured, and recorded; how supply chain users can recognise a reuseable pallet; how to ensure pallets are recycled at the end of their useful life; where obligations for reuse lie; and several other recommendations.

Pallet Reuse Incentive

Dye said: “In our proposed Reuse Incentive Scheme we have set out a workable framework for reusing wooden pallets and packaging and shown how this can be implemented. We are strongly recommending that government progresses this straightforward, easy-to-implement initiative to support its plans to reduce greenhouse gases by 100 per cent by 2050. Our recent discussions with DEFRA on when and how such a scheme can be implemented have been extremely positive.

“Wood packaging material (WPM) manufacturing and repair businesses are inherently founded on principles of circularity. They manufacture products from sustainably managed trees, which means for every one that is harvested, more are grown in their place. They then repair and reuse pallets until they are ready to be recycled into other products – from chipboard to animal bedding. Their business model is sustainable from start to finish. Encouraging these industries will, in turn, boost demand for tree planting, provide a solid foundation for our circular economy, and make a sizeable contribution to achieving the government’s 2050 targets.”

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CHEP in ‘Share and Reuse’ Circular Economy Push

 

Tests for Emission-free Heavy Goods Transport

Posted on by David Priestman

By 2050, Europe should be the first CO2-neutral continent – that is the goal of the “Green Deal”. In order to achieve this, there is more to be done, particularly in the transport sector. Electrification of vehicles is most likely the most important driver. The EU-funded project “ZEFES” project (Zero Emissions flexible vehicle platforms with modular powertrains serving the long-haul Freight Eco System) is researching the possibilities for long-distance heavy goods transport in order to achieve the objectives of the “Green Deal”. In a first step, the transport company Gruber Logistics, one of the project partners, is now collecting data: Under real conditions, how many stops does a vehicle make in long-distance transport today, how often does it brake or when and where does it reach which speed?

With a total budget of almost €40 million 40 partners from 14 different nations are working on the project and carrying out various tests with Battery Electric Trucks and Fuel Cell Electric Trucks.

Gruber Logistics has been collecting data for FCEVs on a defined route Verona to southern Germany via the Brenner Pass since the end of February. Initially, no FCEVs will be used here, but tests with diesel vehicles will be carried out in order to define a baseline for future tests with real FCEVs.

The tests are being carried out in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute, which has developed a device plus API for this purpose, as well as the companies RICARDO, TNO and Scania. This broad expertise makes it possible to record and analyze data with high precision and frequency using the device installed in the truck. In this case, this means in fractions of a second. In comparison to other tests that obtain data via Fleet Management Systems, for example, or where connection-susceptible mobile communications are used for data transmission, the Gruber Logistics test can be expected to produce high quality data. Efficiency improvements, mass production capabilities and the use of technologies in daily use were defined as the test criteria.

Emission-free Heavy Goods Transport

The results of the test phase will subsequently be doubly valuable: on the one hand, the suitability of FCEVs in real-life operation can be better assessed and, on the other, the acceptance of zero-emission vehicles should be brought forward. ZEFES was launched in January 2023 and is scheduled to end in 2026. Even though it will still take some time until then, the first expected results can already be recorded: For example, the use of modular vehicles will result in both cost savings and the creation of new business cases for logistics companies. In cooperation with Scania, Gruber Logistics will also use the collected data for the real prototypes that are already running and will be used in the future.

“Gruber Logistics is pursuing a sustainable, future-orientated strategy. We are convinced that the entire transport sector will and must move in this direction, and we want to help drive this development forward. ZEFES shows a new paradigm where transport companies are not just a final user but are called to be co-designers of new electric and hydrogen vehicles. To optimize such vehicles, we need new logistics models, therefore it is necessary that the vehicles are designed in relation to new utilization. We need a different kind of logistics,” says Martin Gruber, Managing Director of Gruber Logistics.

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Emission-free Truck Fleet

 

Collaboration to Transform Cold Chain Transport

Posted on by David Priestman

Trane Technologies, parent company of Thermo King, reinforced the essential need to decarbonize and transform the commercial transport industry and cold chain and called for quick action and greater collaboration at the GCCA European Cold Chain Conference in Brussels to ensure widespread adoption of technologies that reduce carbon emissions and improve efficiency.

“We believe that our industry can make a significant impact on global greenhouse gas emissions, particularly in the areas of heating and cooling and food loss,” said Claudio Zanframundo (pictured), president, Thermo King EMEA, Trane Technologies. “Decarbonization and transformation of the commercial transport industry and cold chain is possible, and it requires all of us to act together, to adopt the new technologies, including electrification and energy recovery solutions, to radically reduce emissions for a better planet for future generations.”

Trane Technologies’ Thermo King® brand is one of the leading providers of connected active temperature-controlled transport solutions in the cold chain industry. With a focus on precision cooling and digital advancements, Thermo King® is driving the shift toward electric refrigeration and energy recovery solutions in commercial transport. In November 2023, the company announced it fulfilled its August 2021 commitment to deliver fully electric, zero direct emission refrigeration solutions for every segment of the cold chain in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region by 2023.

Examples of these solutions include the E-Series, an innovative and future-proof electric refrigeration unit designed for sustainable operations in urban and inner-city areas. The E-Series is connected and powered directly by the vehicle’s battery, delivering optimal temperature-control performance with reduced energy consumption.

Another example is AxlePower, a revolutionary fully electric trailer refrigeration and energy recovery solution that eliminates the need for fuel consumption and increases uptime. The AxlePower energy recovery solution operates by harnessing the kinetic energy from the vehicle’s movement, such as braking and coasting, and stores it in a high-voltage battery. It can be used with both fully electric and hybrid vehicles and has been extensively tested and adopted by customers worldwide, with successful implementations from Belgium to South Africa.

Thermo King® recognizes the need to keep investing in innovation for the cold chain because of the potential to reduce emissions, but also because it plays a critical role in feeding society. Roughly 30% of the food produced worldwide is lost every year, before reaching consumers, largely due to uncontrolled environments and disruptions in the cold chain. Partnering with retailers, non-profits and the European Commission to reduce food waste, we recently co-developed a roundtable at the European Parliament to help accelerate progress and get more people taking action. The session was aligned to the EU’s commitment of meeting SDG 12.3 of halving per capita global food loss and waste by 2030.

Through bold, industry-leading action, Trane Technologies is advancing its 2030 Sustainability Commitments, including the Gigaton Challenge – a pledge to reduce customer greenhouse gas emissions by 1 billion metric tons (or, one gigaton) – and its pledge to be net-zero by 2050. In 2014, the company set its first science-based 2020 Climate Commitments – accelerating innovation to achieve them two years ahead of schedule. The company is first in its industry with near and long-term emissions reduction targets externally validated by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi).

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New Telematics System Offered to Food Sector Cold Chain Operators

 

Shipping CEOs to Accelerate Maritime Decarbonization

Posted on by Keith McKinley

The CEOs of leading global shipping lines have issued a joint declaration at COP 28 calling for an end date for fossil-only powered newbuilds and urging the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the global regulator, to create the regulatory conditions to accelerate the transition to green fuels and maritime decarbonization.

Global temperatures are breaching critical levels, creating more frequent and devasting results. Therefore the importance of shipping achieving IMO’s 2030, 2040, and net-zero 2050 greenhouse gas (GHG) targets is very clear. The only realistic way to meet those targets for an industry that accounts for 2-3% of global GHG emissions is to transition from fossil to green fuels at scale and at pace.

Being at the forefront of introducing lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emission ships underscores the CEOs’ commitment to the IMO GHG reduction objectives for 2030, 2040, and 2050. As frontrunners, the CEOs are convinced that even closer collaboration with IMO regulators will produce the effective and concrete policy measures needed to underpin the investment within maritime shipping and its ancillary industries that will enable decarbonisation to occur at the pace required.

Their joint declaration calls for the establishment of four regulatory ‘cornerstones’:

An end date for new building of fossil fuel-only vessels and a clear GHG Intensity Standard timeline to inspire investment confidence, both for new ships and the fuel supply infrastructure needed to accelerate the energy transition.

An effective GHG pricing mechanism to make green fuel competitive with black fuel during the transition phase when both are used. This can be done by distributing the premium for the green fuels across all the fossil fuel used. With low initial volumes of green fuels any inflationary effects are minimised. The mechanism must also feature an increasing regulatory incentive to achieve deeper emissions reductions. Furthermore, beyond covering the ‘green balance fee’, revenue generated by the mechanism should go to an RD&D fund and to investments in developing countries to ensure a just transition that leaves no one behind.

A vessel pooling option for GHG regulatory compliance where the performance of a group of vessels could count instead of only that of individual ships, ensuring investments are made where they achieve the greatest GHG reduction and thereby accelerating decarbonisation across the global fleet.

A Well-to-Wake or lifecycle GHG regulatory basis to align investment decisions with climate interests and mitigate the risk of stranded assets.
In a unprecedent action, major players of the shipping industry express their shared conviction that regulation can play a key role in mitigating the cost of the green transition as well as the risk of extreme weather events. Given the cost of climate change is far greater than the cost of the green transition they look forward to being joined by other companies.

Rodolphe Saadé, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the CMA CGM Group, said, “Climate change is a general concern not a matter of competition. The CMA CGM Group is extremely pleased to join this unique Coalition, which brings together leading shipping companies to urge to the adoption of the upper targets of the IMO trajectory. This sets an ambitious milestone for the decarbonization of our industry. By collaborating with others, we each take a new step in our energy transition, while ensuring a collective level playing field and access to greener fuels for the industry.

“This new commitment is fully in line with the CMA CGM Group’s ambition to be Net Zero by 2050. We have already invested close to $15 billion in decarbonizing our fleet, which will enable us to have almost 120 vessels capable of being powered by decarbonized fuels by 2028. Pioneer in LNG as a transition energy, our Group has also launched several large industrial partnerships to diversify our sourcing with even more decarbonized fuels. In 2023, the CMA CGM Group will reduce its CO2 emissions by around -1 million tons.

“Alongside the members of this coalition and all those who will join us afterwards, the CMA CGM Group pursues its decarbonization journey and renews its commitment to a shared and sustainable future.”

Vincent Clerc, Chief Executive Officer of A.P. Moller – Maersk, said, “A.P. Moller – Maersk wants to accelerate the green transition in shipping and logistics and a crucial next step is to introduce regulatory conditions which ensure that we create the most greenhouse gas emission reductions per invested dollar. This includes an efficient pricing mechanism to close the gap between fossil and green fuels and ensuring that the green choice is easier to make for our customers and consumers globally. The momentum for green fuel is building and we are pleased to see strong partnerships across the industry as we continue our joint efforts of making decarbonisation in shipping successful.”

Rolf Habben Jansen, Chief Executive Officer of Hapag-Lloyd, commented, “Our collective responsibility for a sustainable future and clean practices is paramount. At Hapag-Lloyd, we reaffirm our commitment to advance the decarbonization of the maritime industry and strive to be at the forefront of the energy transition. We believe that a regulatory framework and clear targets are crucial to accelerating the introduction of alternative fuels and reducing our carbon footprint. This commitment is in line with Hapag-Lloyd‘s goal of achieving a net-zero carbon fleet by 2045 and reflects our industry’s unwavering commitment to environmental responsibility.”

Soren Toft, Chief Executive Officer of MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, added, “Shipping is at the forefront of technological innovation when it comes to decarbonization and at MSC our fleet renewal strategy includes 100 dual fuel vessels. We are proud to be part of this unprecedented collaboration with our peers and it is only right that together we follow this path towards net zero that we must achieve by 2050. The support of Governments across the world will be an essential element to reach our common goal and among those efforts we want to see an end to delivery of ships that can only run on fossil fuels. MSC has fully supported and committed to net decarbonization by 2050 but without the full support from other stakeholders particularly energy providers it will be extremely difficult to meet those objectives – no one can do this alone. Today it feels like we are one step closer in this regard, but concrete supply of alternative fuels and globally recognised GHG pricing are essential to achieve our goals.”

Lasse Kristoffersen, President and Chief Executive Officer of Wallenius Wilhelmsen, said, “At Wallenius Wilhelmsen we have decided to be a shaper of the journey to net-zero and focus our investments in supporting this ambition. Our customers want to partner with us on the voyage. Now, we need a global regulatory framework matching this ambition to drive the investments needed at a global scale.”

Quantifying Supply Chain Co2 Emissions

Posted on by Keith McKinley

COP28, which begins today, will see global business leaders take stock of progress since the 2015 Paris Agreement, emphasising the need for action to drive forward net-zero goals. Efficio, a global procurement and supply chain consultancy, is working with business leaders to do just that – turning attention to the supply chain to make the biggest impact on ESG. That’s because supply chain emissions typically make up 40-80% of an organization’s total carbon emissions – sometimes even reaching over 90%.

According to Efficio research, 73% of business leaders (77% of C-suite) cite minimising or eradicating environmental impacts as a key priority for the next two years – but a clear line of sight surrounding ESG factors remains a barrier to success. Data needed to quantify carbon emissions within the supply chain can span multiple systems and suppliers. This can be difficult to gather, let alone analyse for future decision-making.

In response to this challenge, Efficio is working with businesses to implement the CarbonCube®, a tool that lets procurement teams efficiently measure and monitor supply chain emissions, set targets, and monitor supplier performance.

Today, CPOs from Kantar, a global data, insights and consulting company, and Permanent TSB (PTSB), a provider of personal financial services in Ireland, are among some of the organisations using the technology to deliver their sustainability strategies. Using the CarbonCube®, PTSB has been able to leverage spend data to identify priority categories with high greenhouse emissions, gain visibility over sustainability commitments made by its supply base, and support the business’s overall sustainability strategy through target assessment and supplier outreach.

Rachel Hollywood, Procurement ESG Manager at PTSB recently commented: “Efficio’s CarbonCube® enabled us to set a strong and realistic emission baseline from which to prepare carbon reduction initiatives, supporting the bank’s strategic agenda for its 2024 SBTi submission and fostering a culture of sustainability and environmental awareness throughout our value chain – from our employees through to our supply base.”

Meanwhile, Kantar is using the CarbonCube® to accelerate its carbon reduction strategy. In a recent interview, Steve Day, Chief Procurement Officer at Kantar, acknowledged that the supply chain is representative of a very significant part of any business’s carbon footprint. He sees this as an opportunity for procurement to own the topic and highlight the value the function can bring to the wider business beyond the traditional back-office function.

However, before this is possible, Day emphasised that work needs to be done, commenting: “I see a lot of people inflating their carbon strategies and thinking about net neutrality, but in truth, you must first get to a point where you can start to measure what scope three looks like. This is where the CarbonCube® comes into play – it has helped us accelerate our thinking and begin richer conversations around what categories of spending to focus on and what our category strategies are going to be.”

Commenting on the two projects, Edward Cox, Director and Sustainable Procurement Practice Lead at Efficio, concluded: “These projects are real-world examples of how procurement and supply chain teams can take the lead in driving sustainability impacts, and how trusted data sources can be used to simplify processes like quantifying carbon emissions.

“Supply chains are most organisations’ largest source of emissions, and procurement can and should be the engine for change. Procurement needs to be accountable for a growing set of metrics that have ESG at their core. Buying the right things from the right suppliers is more important than ever.”

Fleet Panel Pushes for Sustainability

Posted on by David Priestman

Members of the Michelin Fleet Panel have called for the industry to accelerate progress towards more sustainable tyres and improve support for fleet managers transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs).

The panel, comprising representatives from some of the UK’s biggest leasing, fleet management and rental companies, as well as several major end-user fleets, addressed a series of industry challenges at a meeting held at the Wakefield site of Aston Barclay, the independent remarketing group and vehicle auction house.

Chairing the Michelin Fleet Panel, Martin Thompson, Michelin’s Brand Manager UK & Ireland, briefed the panel on the manufacturer’s target of using 100 per cent sustainable materials in its tyres by 2050, and 40 per cent by 2030, and urged the industry to make quicker progress in reducing the environmental impacts of tyres.

He also reinforced the importance of extracting the full performance out of every tyre, saying: “It’s vitally important we better educate fleet managers and customers about how to avoid unnecessary raw material wastage, specifically that it is safe to use tyres down to the 1.6mm legal tread depth limit.”

Some panel members called for the industry to put a greater focus on analysing tyre wear on EVs, saying the current lack of data was making it difficult to make informed buying decisions.

Thompson said: “Leasing and rental companies want to be able to communicate that data to their customers so they can speed up their transition to EVs. Michelin is manufacturing tyres specifically for EVs to help with tyre wear and battery range, and that’s a message we are communicating more widely.”

Lorna McAtear, Head of Fleet at National Grid, who manages 9,000 vehicles, including 1,500 EVs, said the industry needed to tackle some myths around EVs. “There are some misconceptions that all tyres wear out quicker on EVs. The industry needs to deliver clearer messaging to ensure people have the best performing and safest tyres on their EVs, and that they don’t cost more than tyres for internal combustion-engined vehicles.”

She added: “It was an excellent panel for learning about the innovations in tyre developments being driven by Michelin and its partners. I was reassured that they are working hard on sustainability and going in the right direction.”

At the first meeting of the Michelin Fleet Panel since the pandemic, Michelin representatives and its partners, including Canopy Simulations and MICHELIN Connected Fleet, gave presentations of their work towards more sustainable mobility, whilst ProovStation provided a live demonstration of its AI-powered inspection scanner. Aston Barclay is the first company in the UK to install the technology, deploying the system to quickly and accurately appraise vehicles ahead of auction.

Matt Childs, Marketing Manager at MICHELIN Connected Fleet, said the next generation of drivers and decision-makers are increasingly aware of sustainability and vote with their wallets on what, where and who they work with. “With connected fleet management solutions, this is an opportunity rather than a challenge. Turning the data into actions can help fleets operate more efficiently and unlock savings,” he added.

Sean Russell, Chief Marketing Officer at Aston Barclay, said: “It was a pleasure to host the Michelin Fleet Panel, which was a fabulous knowledge sharing and networking event. We received some excellent feedback and we look forward to collaborating with our partners again in the future.”

The Michelin Fleet Panel has been meeting for more than 20 years; membership is voluntary and participants are not required to be Michelin customers.

Adopting EV Fleets Presents Challenges

Posted on by David Priestman

EV is fast becoming a top priority for many businesses, fuelled by the significant benefits that can be realised through making the switch, writes Dee Humphries (pictured), Managing Director, Equans EV Solutions. With reduced carbon emissions, financial savings, increased sustainability credentials, improved productivity, enhanced employee experience – the benefits of transitioning to an electric fleet are undeniable.

Whilst there are clear benefits on paper, it’s important to acknowledge that transitioning a fleet to EV can come with challenges. In fact, many businesses are presented with multiple barriers when they begin to adopt EV that can sometimes halt the process. However, the solution isn’t to simply admit defeat, but rather to navigate and manage the challenges effectively to ensure the transition is seamless, enabling the gain of long-term benefits.

Here, Dee Humphries, Managing Director of Equans EV Solutions, highlights some of common challenges businesses are facing when it comes to adopting EV, with the strategy to overcome them – alongside a proven framework for EV adoption.

Challenges and solutions for businesses adopting EV

A common challenge fleet operators face in the early stages of their EV transition is a lack of internal buy-in. This can come in the form of resistance from those who do not understand the benefits of EV, as well as from those who see EV as an unnecessary business cost. This is typically prevalent in industries that have historically been dependant on conventional fuel options.

To overcome this barrier, it’s important to ensure these stakeholders are engaged from the offset and the programme is aligned to the business’ overall goals. Overcoming this barrier doesn’t need to be complex, but rather about education and demonstration. Consider sharing success stories of similar businesses via case studies, reports or testimonials. This can help bring the benefits of transitioning to life, building the case for EV adoption.

Another challenge is having the capital to invest in both the required vehicles and charging infrastructure. This can be particularly challenging if EVs weren’t accounted for in long-term budgeting. However, it’s important to think of EVs in terms of total cost of ownership, instead of initial investment costs. Whilst transitioning to EV might be expensive initially, the long-term savings through lower fuel costs, reduced maintenance costs and an extended vehicle lifespan make the investment more than worthwhile. There are also ample government initiatives and schemes that are available for both infrastructure and vehicle costs, plus leasing options available, to make EVs more economically viable.

As with most things, failing to properly plan and prepare is a challenge many businesses will face as this will result in an ineffective EV integration strategy. Transitioning to EV requires an in depth understanding of new technologies, assessing operational requirements and much more. However, often resources to develop this knowledge are limited – meaning hesitations can occur, halting the transition. The solution here is to bring in the experts. This means a specialised organisation who can develop a detailed and tailored EV transition strategy that is aligned with the goals and needs of your business. This will remove any uncertainty and ensure the transition is smooth and successful.

Why now is the time to transition your fleet to EV

Despite the challenges that transitioning to EV presents, the reality is that businesses who don’t start to make the transition will get left behind. The time to start the transition is now and thankfully, with the right strategy and approach, these challenges can be overcome – meaning there’s never been a better time to do so. EV adoption has become more convenient than ever for businesses across the UK. Recent electric commercial vehicle ownership stats highlight many have already implemented EV for their fleets, with vans up 67.3%, buses and coaches increasing by 34.9%, and the number of zero emission trucks almost trebling since last year.

Concerns that would usually be front of mind for businesses looking to adopt EV their fleet would be cost and range. Both of these are steadily becoming worries of the past. Take cost – battery prices have plummeted by 89% over the past decade, making EV models increasingly competitive against petrol and diesel vehicles. There are also multiple incentives for EV adoption and charging infrastructure from the government, offering a breadth of financial support to meet the needs of all businesses.

Range capabilities have expanded considerably meaning the average modern EV can now travel over 200 miles on a full charge. This has significantly reduced the concern of range anxiety for fleets and means EV is no longer a barrier for businesses that need to travel hundreds of miles on a daily basis. Infrastructure has also grown and improved, offering a solution to keep drivers on the move when required. It’s been noted that there are now 77,531 charging connectors in 29,709 locations across the UK. This is a 194% increase compared to 2019 – meaning charging convenience has substantially improved for drivers.

A Proven Framework for Electric Vehicle Adoption

To navigate this transformative shift in fleet management, Equans EV Solutions has released a whitepaper that addresses the common questions and obstacles faced by logistics fleet operations. Drawing on over a decade of industry expertise, the whitepaper adopts a barrier-to-solution approach, focusing on challenges such as how to gain internal buy-in for EV adoption, the considerations required for designing an appropriate charging solution, and how to pilot the necessary operational and organisational changes to make EV charging a triumph.

Backed by more than 10 years of industry expertise, this whitepaper delivers critical insights logistics operators need to transition to EVs confidently and effectively. The key features include:
• Completing a comprehensive financial analysis to realise the true total cost of ownership for an electric fleet.
• Creating a strategic EV integration plan that covers organisational adjustments, infrastructure development, fleet management and training needs.
• Adopting transparent communication and assigning ‘EV champions’ to illuminate the long-term benefits of EVs to internal stakeholders which align with environmental and operational gains.

With this strategic, yet adaptable, approach towards fleet management, Equans is not only solidifying the position of businesses that adopt EVs, but also shaping a promising and eco-responsible future for the global transportation industry.

Sustainability Strategy with Climate Tech

Posted on by David Priestman

Nippon Express Europe GmbH (NX Europe), a group company of the global Japanese logistics service provider Nippon Express Holdings, is set to realize the achievement of its sustainability goals in collaboration with the Climate Tech start-up, Cozero, based in Berlin.

In NX Group’s pursuit of reducing its CO₂ emissions by 50 percent by 2030 as compared to 2013 (Scope1,2), the parent company, Nippon Express Holdings Inc., submitted a letter of commitment to obtain Science Based Targets (SBT) certification in May 2023.

The collaboration between NX Europe and Cozero stemmed from Cozero’s comprehensive, transparent, and agile end-to-end solution that holistically considers both logistical and non-logistical emissions, which supports the forecasting and planning of decarbonization efforts.

Within a few weeks, Cozero’s Climate Action Platform was implemented at 30 European locations of the company for reporting Scope-1, Scope-2, and Scope-3 emissions. As a result, NX Europe is now able to implement customized local reduction strategies in alignment with SBT.

Climate Tech

Olaf Zimmlinghaus, Executive Director – General Affairs and Finance EMEA at NX Europe, stated, “Achieving our sustainability goals to combat climate change holds a special place within the NX Group. Our well-defined sustainability goals are not only deeply embedded in our operations but also subject to continuous monitoring of success. The data-driven solution provided by Cozero enables us to implement sustainability transformation into our corporate planning.”

Helen Tacke, Co-founder and CEO of Cozero GmbH, commented, “The NX Group is an exceptional example of the integration of financial and sustainability performances. Recognizing that corporate strategy and sustainability must walk hand in hand is pivotal for transformative success. We are proud to be able to contribute with data insights and measures through our software solution to support this synergy. “

DHL Transitions Fuelling from Diesel to HVO

Posted on by David Priestman

DHL Supply Chain has announced the acceleration of its UK road transport decarbonisation strategy. In addition to investments already made in deploying vehicles running on biogas and electric vehicles, hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel is now actively being rolled out across the majority of its on-site fuelling stations throughout the UK, enabling DHL to assess operational processes and the performance of the fuel. With installation scheduled for completion by the end of the year, transitioning to HVO fuel will deliver 80-90% carbon savings compared to diesel; with an estimated total of 15,000 tonnes of CO2e savings being expected to be delivered.

Produced from biomass such as used cooking oils and waste from food manufacture, HVO is a drop-in fuel, meaning it can be used within existing vehicles without compromising operational performance; removing the need for new infrastructure or fleet.

Saul Resnick, CEO, DHL Supply Chain UK & Ireland said, “The installation of HVO fuel across our bunkered sites represents a critical moment in our multi-fuel decarbonisation strategy. HVO improves our service to customers by introducing a low-carbon renewable alternative fuel with minimal disruption. As an industry leader, we are rolling out HVO at scale and with impressive pace, to deliver immediate and substantial carbon savings while we continue to work towards viable zero-emission alternatives. We are extending an invitation to our customers to join us on this transformative journey, and actively collaborate with us in adopting these greener alternatives, we can provide them with a powerful tool to make their supply chains greener.”

More than six million litres of HVO fuel will be rolled out within DHL’s on-site fuelling stations this year, replacing diesel in 20 locations across the UK. In 2024, the business plans to install additional fuel bunkers across its network, increasing its use of HVO fuel to over 24 million litres, and with the effect of a full year, the carbon savings impact will be even greater.

The roll-out of HVO fuel in the UK brings to life DHL’s recently announced Green Transport Policy, a global standard on the most suitable green alternative per market. The Policy comes with an investment of around 200 million euros in alternative technologies and fuels to reduce close to 300,000 tons of CO2 emissions in the next three years in partnership with customers.

Carbon Emission Management in Supply Chains

Posted on by David Priestman

AIMMS, a global leader in advanced supply chain planning and optimization solutions, is excited to announce its strategic partnership with BigMile, a pioneering technology partner specializing in providing accurate carbon emission data for supply chain and logistics.

This collaboration marks a significant step toward enhancing AIMMS’ commitment to sustainability and equipping its customers with the tools to reduce their carbon footprint.

As part of this partnership, AIMMS will complement its suite of supply chain optimization tools with BigMile’s cutting-edge data and technology. AIMMS customers will be able to gain access to accurate data related to actual CO2 emissions, enabling them to make environmentally responsible decisions that contribute to their sustainability goals. The partnership also brings forth the possibility of benchmarking carbon emissions, offering AIMMS customers a comprehensive view of their environmental impact.

Jan Pronk, Managing Director of BigMile, comments: “Today’s businesses are operating in disruptive and ever-changing environments, with complex supply chains that need to be both resilient and sustainable. As BigMile, we can contribute to this by helping companies to calculate, allocate and report ISO 14083-compliant carbon emissions for all their supply chain and logistics-related activities. In AIMMS, I am proud to say that we’ve found a partner with a proven track record who can complement our solution with state-of-the-art supply chain network design technology to support companies’ supply chain resilience and sustainability on a strategic level.”

Benchmark

“AIMMS has always been dedicated to empowering our customers with innovative solutions that drive value and sustainability. Our collaboration with BigMile is a significant step towards this goal, allowing us to provide our customers with vital carbon emission data and the potential to benchmark their emissions, aligning with their sustainability objectives,” said Zoe Schouten, Business Director Supply Chain Solutions.

This partnership between AIMMS and BigMile will enable businesses to:
• Reduce their carbon footprint by making informed decisions based on carbon emission data.
• Enhance supply chain efficiency and resilience.
• Gain a competitive edge by adopting sustainable practices.

For AIMMS customers interested in benchmarking their carbon emissions, this partnership opens new possibilities. AIMMS and BigMile are dedicated to working closely with customers to meet their unique requirements and provide tailored solutions.

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