Hapag-Lloyd, Kuehne + Nagel agree to cut CO2 emissions 17% by 2020

The German ocean carrier and Swiss-based third-party logistics provider have signed off on what’s known as the Carbon and Sustainability Pact, an agreement that allows for potential additional emissions reductions on selected shipping routes.    German container carrier Hapag-Lloyd and Swiss-based transport and logistics company Kuehne + Nagel have reached an agreement to commit themselves to significantly reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in their common container-transport activities, the companies said in a joint statement Dec. 4.
   The two have signed off on what’s known as the Carbon and Sustainability Pact. It calls for a 17 percent reduction in CO2 emissions per container moved by Hapag-Lloyd by 2020 compared to 2017. The agreement also allows for potential for additional reductions on selected routes.
   Both companies said they “want to take advantage of this unique opportunity to influence the logistics sector.”
   In doing so, they say that they wish to give Kuehne + Nagel customers options based on transparent data, and that Hapag-Lloyd will thus make it possible for Kuehne + Nagel to use information about the CO2 emissions of the ships in Hapag-Lloyd’s fleet — which has previously been verified by the independent Clean Cargo Working Group — in its communications with customers.
   The Carbon and Sustainability Pact also commits both companies to a series of additional actions to better protect the environment, with one example being plans to optimize the movement of empty containers, and to identify alternatives to truck transports using ships or trains.
   In addition, the companies said, there are also plans to use the most modern and eco-friendly reefer equipment whenever possible as well as to use containers with steel rather than wooden floors where appropriate.