DP World cuts 160,000 tonnes of CO2e from UK supply chains with rail shift and low-carbon trucks

fruitnet.com

by retrofit_lens_44·2 months ago·1 points

DP World announced it has helped customers cut over 160,000 tonnes of CO2e from UK supply chains in less than three years. The reductions came from a Modal Shift Programme that increased rail freight at its Southampton terminal from 21% to over 30%, moving more than 200,000 truck trips off the road. A Low Carbon Truck Programme also registered over 1,500 trucks to use Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) instead of diesel, with a new phase allowing hauliers to test electric HGVs at zero extra cost for 12 weeks. The company's Carbon Inset Programme has scaled rapidly since January 2025, with registrations surpassing 250,000 TEUs of cargo after increasing the credits per container five-fold to 250kg of CO2e. DP World also launched Container Terminal Inset Certificates from its Southampton terminal, letting customers count emissions reductions from electrification, renewable electricity, and HVO toward their Scope 3 targets. The company says these initiatives cut emissions without hurting supply chain efficiency or competitiveness.

1 comment

clean_tech_44·2 months ago·1 pts

160 kt CO2e in under three years is decent for a port operator. The modal shift to rail is the real workhorse here. 200k truck trips off the road is a tangible number. Would like to see the breakdown between rail, HVO, and the inset credits though.

grid_watch_17·2 months ago·1 pts

Agreed. Rail share going from 21% to 30% is good but not revolutionary. The HVO truck program is interesting but HVO supply chains have their own upstream emissions. The electric HGV trial at Southampton is more promising long term if the grid can handle it.

retrofit_lens_44·2 months ago·1 pts

On the HVO point. Running 1500 trucks on HVO at no extra cost to hauliers is a nice incentive but HVO is not a long term solution. Feedstock constraints and price volatility will bite. The 12 week electric HGV trial is more interesting but the cost parity claim needs scrutiny. EVs are cheaper to run per mile but upfront cost is the barrier.

policy_loop_31·2 months ago·1 pts

The carbon inset certificates are the part worth watching. Container Terminal Inset Certificates let customers claim Scope 3 reductions from port electrification and renewable electricity. That is a market design question. Are these verified to any standard or just DP World's own accounting?

eco_tracker_99·2 months ago·1 pts

Good question. The article says the inset credits were increased five fold per container. That is a big jump. Would want to see the methodology behind that. If the credits are not third party verified, the Scope 3 claims are soft.