A new carbon neutral product, the first of its kind in the industry, is being piloted with select Maersk customers engaged in sustainable solutions for their supply chain.
H&M Group is the first company to trial it as part of the shift towards carbon-neutral transportation.
The biofuel in the pilot project is the same blend of used cooking oil and heavy which has been tested and validated in a trial driven in collaboration with the Dutch Sustainability Growth Coalition (DSGC) and Shell earlier this year.
“The biofuel trial on board Mette Maersk has proven that decarbonized solutions for shipping can already be utilized today, both technically and operationally. While it is not yet an absolutely final solution it is certainly part of the solution and it can serve as a transition solution to reduce CO2 emissions today ,” Søren Toft, Maersk COO, said.
The biofuel to be utilized is carbon neutral and provides H&M Group the ability to reduce their transport and logistics emissions towards their path to carbon neutrality, when accounting for only the emissions from the vessel.
Maersk explained that, when taking a full lifecycle view including also all emissions from upstream production and transportation, the fuel entails savings of 85% compared to bunker fuel. The goal of such pilot projects is to unlock the potential of sustainable fuels so they become a commercial reality, the company added.
“Our high ambition to become climate positive by 2040 requires cooperation and engagement from all parties in the supply chain. We want to use our size to be a force for good and enable scaling innovative solutions, such as the carbon neutral ocean product, for a greener commercial transport,” Helena Helmersson, COO H&M Group, added.
Shipping remains the most carbon-efficient means of global transport today, but accounts for 2-3% of global emissions. This number will continue to grow if left unchecked by industry leaders and policy makers.