17 shippers join to make shipping more sustainable with biofuel
The Port of Rotterdam Authority and GoodShipping last December launched the "Switch to Zero" campaign to use sustainable marine fuel to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, reports Hellenic Shipping News Worldwide.
Insetting is one approach to reducing CO2 emissions that involves the use of sustainable fuel for shipping, rather than offsetting, which involves compensating for CO2 emissions by, for example, planting trees.
By using GoodShipping, shippers can use insetting to reduce CO2 emissions for the transportation of small numbers of containers on different vessels.
GoodShipping provides a vessel with sustainable fuel, achieving CO2-neutral transport of cargo, regardless of whether the containers are transported on the same vessel.
This approach makes it easier for sea freight shipping companies to contribute concretely to reducing CO2 emissions.
Several Samskip vessels will be provided with biofuels by GoodShipping, resulting in a reduction of 2023 tonnes of CO2, equivalent to the amount of CO2 released when transporting about 15,000 TEU containers between Rotterdam and Gothenburg.
Participating companies include Dille & Kamille, Swinkels Family Brewers, Yogi Tea, Beiersdorf, Bugaboo, Otto Group, K2 Forwarding, Yumeko, NINE & Co, De Kleine Keuken, Royal van Wijhe Verf, Intersteel, OMyBag, Regent Ingredients, Dopper, Johnny Cashew, and Anchor International.
"Shipping is not yet on schedule to be CO2 neutral by 2050, even though it is technically feasible. It is, therefore, good that shipping, as well as industry, in Europe will soon pay for CO2 emissions through the ETS. This encourages sustainability, as it makes environment- and climate-friendly alternatives more attractive financially," said Port of Rotterdam Authority CEO Allard Castelein.
"However, this is only possible if such alternative options are offered. Therefore, we are working with partners to develop initiatives to help make logistics more sustainable: from battery-powered inland shipping to shore power for sea-going vessels and from bio-kerosene production for aviation to so-called Green Corridors for sea-going vessels. This initiative with GoodShipping and the 17 companies is part of that programme."
Said GoodShipping founder Dirk Kronemeijer: "We've seen a huge acceleration in the pace of the energy transition brought about by shippers over the past two years, which is why we want to give more companies the opportunity to have their freight shipped sustainably.
"The offer made by the Port of Rotterdam Authority, which aims to be the world's most sustainable port, to support us in this was therefore easy to accept. With the Switch to Zero campaign, we're making it easy for companies to enhance the sustainability of their transport without complex supply chain adaptations."
Said Bugaboo CEO Adriaan Thierry: "At Bugaboo, we are actively reducing, not compensating, our carbon emissions through our Push to Zero program. Lowering emissions from ocean freight is part of our plan. In partnership with GoodShipping, we want to move towards a 100 per cent reduction of our ocean freight emission. Joining the Switch to Zero campaign is another step towards this goal." |