DB Schenker: Greener ocean freight with voluntary surcharge

In the frame of their environmental partnership, DB Schenker and Hapag-Lloyd launched a project together with a renowned cosmetics producer to address one of the most burning environmental and health subjects in ocean shipping, i.e., sulfur oxide emissions in ports.

In order to reduce the impact of pollution especially in Asian and Latin American ports the customer pays a voluntary surcharge on each of its containers shipped through such ports, started by middle of the year 2017. Such surcharge is fully dedicated by Hapag-Lloyd to low sulfur fuel purchase which the carrier commits to and to verify its implementation and port combustion by an external auditor. The customer receives a factual statement on the fuel change for all its containers while DB Schenker supervises the transaction.

The move is outstanding as it goes beyond current regulation: While some regions in the world provide for 0.1 percent sulfur content not to be exceeded when at berth, many ports still do not have any such regulations and fuel is permitted to be burnt with sulfur contents of up to 3.5 percent to run vessel facilities during port stays for loading and discharge.

“We are proud to enter with such prestigious companies in a ground-breaking health and environmental initiative”, says project initiator Andrea Dorothea Schoen, Carbon Controller and head of DB Schenker’s climate protection program. “This a milestone in our environmental partnership – with the shipper and the carrier alike. And we hope our move will be imitated by many operators, instead of waiting for the official regulations.”

“Being a responsible company, we are happy to demonstrate leadership by taking an active role in this innovative project. Thanks to our long-lasting partnership with DB Schenker we jointly can pave the way for better air quality and push sustainability on the oceans“, commends Thorsten Haeser, CCO of Hapag-Lloyd.

www.dbschenker.com; www.hapag-lloyd.com