DHL and Hapag-Lloyd commit to green shipping

Freight company DHL Global Forwarding and container shipping firm Hapag-Lloyd have announced a three-year agreement to facilitate Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions through sustainable marine fuels in Hapag-Lloyd’s fleet. This initiative employs a “book and claim” chain of custody mechanism, allowing customers to claim Scope 3 emission reductions separately from the physical use of the fuel. This method decouples decarbonisation from the physical transportation of sustainable marine fuel, which remains limited in supply globally.

The agreement will enable the use of second-generation biofuels via this book and claim approach. Hapag-Lloyd has been incorporating second-generation biofuels since 2020, and in 2023, the company introduced “Ship Green,” an emission-reduced ocean transport product using biofuel blends instead of traditional fossil marine fuel oil (MFO). These biofuels are sourced from certified supply chains and waste- or residue-based feedstock, such as brown grease or used cooking oil.

Under this agreement, DHL and Hapag-Lloyd have already achieved a reduction of 25,000 tons of CO2e emissions through an initial order executed in July 2025. Danny Smolders, Managing Director of Global Sales at Hapag-Lloyd, expressed satisfaction with the collaboration, stating: “We are delighted to have completed this order with DHL, demonstrating the feasibility and effectiveness of using sustainable marine fuels to reduce Scope 3 emissions through our Ship Green product. Partnering with DHL shows how powerful collaboration can be. Together, we are creating real momentum in further decarbonising supply chains, one bold step at a time.”

Both DHL and Hapag-Lloyd have committed to net zero goals, with Hapag-Lloyd aiming for net zero fleet emissions by 2045, and DHL targeting net zero GHG emissions by 2050. The companies emphasised that providing more sustainable logistics solutions to customers is a crucial strategy to achieve these objectives. Casper Ellerbaek, Head of Global Ocean Freight at DHL Global Forwarding, remarked: “The signing of this three-year framework agreement marks a crucial step toward realising our shared vision of a decarbonised shipping industry. We are thrilled to partner with Hapag-Lloyd in driving the adoption of sustainable marine fuels and the book and claim mechanism, ultimately empowering our customers to achieve their climate goals.”