Ocean container carriers focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, new report finds

The figures were revealed in the BSR’s Clean Cargo Working Group’s (CCWG) 2014 ‘Global Maritime Trade Lane Emissions Factors’ report. 

The CCWG is a global business-to-business initiative dedicated to improving the environmental performance of marine container transport. The CCWG is one of the BSR’s (an organisation aiming to promote sustainable development) longest-running collaborative initiatives.

The report found that average carbon dioxide emissions per container per kilometre for global ocean transportation routes have declined year on year, and by nearly 8% from 2012 to 2013.

While changes in carrier representation or global trade conditions may account for part of the emissions reductions described in the report, the continued performance improvement is also attributed to carrier fleet efficiency and year-on-year improvements in data quality, according to the BSR.

According to the BSR, its Clean Cargo Working Group initiative is in its 11th year and has developed industry-leading calculation and reporting methodologies for carriers to report environmental performance data to their customers in a standardised formant.

Global brands use these data to calculate and reduce the environmental impact of transporting their goods.

CCWG project manager Nate Springer said: “By reporting using a standardised methodology, the ocean container sector is doing its part to improve environmental performance and address its emissions that contribute to climate change.

Marks & Spencer International Freight logistics manager Barry Wallace added: “Marks & Spencer relies on CCWG for the reliable and accurate data we can use to compare carrier environmental performance. It is important to the environmental goals for our Plan A program.

“We also appreciate the role of the group in harmonising developments in methodology across other modes of logistics.”

Liz Gyekye