(Commonwealth_ DP World is launching a six-month trial of a carbon insetting program at its London Gateway and Southampton terminals in the UK, starting 1 January 2025. Each loaded import container moving through DP World’s UK terminals will earn importers 50 kg of COE carbon credits under this trial. The carbon credits offered during this trial will not be generated by the DP World terminals themselves but will be sourced from Unifeeder, a DP World group company.
Unifeeder operates a North European feeder network and has implemented several sustainability initiatives, including the use of biofuels and the introduction of lower-carbon fuels in its fleet operations. The company has also invested in improving energy efficiency and plans to deploy methanol-capable vessels by 2026. These efforts aim to reduce the environmental impact of their operations and contribute to the reduction of carbon emissions in the maritime sector. Unifeeder verifies and pools the carbon credits from the trial, providing importers with independently verified carbon credits.
The distinction between carbon insetting and carbon offsetting is important for understanding the program. Insetting involves investments made within a company’s own supply chain to reduce emissions directly, while offsetting typically involves investing in external projects unrelated to the company’s operations. By focusing on insetting, DP World’s initiative is designed to allow businesses to directly reduce their Scope 3 emissions—those emissions that are indirectly produced along the supply chain. This offers businesses a transparent and measurable way to meet their sustainability goals while contributing to global decarbonization efforts.
DP World sees this as a significant step toward supporting its customers’ sustainability commitments. According to the company, the trial offers businesses a way to demonstrate their efforts to reduce carbon emissions to their customers, an increasingly important aspect of corporate responsibility and environmental impact. The carbon credits from Unifeeder’s operations will be used as part of the carbon insetting program, giving importers a clear, independently verified method of reducing their environmental footprint.
The trial is expected to have a meaningful impact on reducing carbon emissions in the logistics industry. DP World has stated that if 50% of its import volumes participate in the carbon insetting program, the initiative could help avoid 10,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions. This reduction would be achieved by replacing approximately 11,000 tonnes of traditional fuel with lower-carbon alternatives, further contributing to the global push toward cleaner, more sustainable shipping practices.
John Trenchard, vice president of commercial and supply chains at DP World UK, emphasized the pragmatic and transparent nature of the carbon insetting program. He described it as a direct approach to reducing carbon emissions, offering measurable and immediate benefits for customers. By providing simple access to independently certified carbon credits, the company aims to raise awareness and encourage wider adoption of sustainable practices in the logistics industry.
Christian Hoepfner, director of group decarbonisation at Unifeeder, expressed support for the initiative, highlighting the role of the company’s fleet in driving down greenhouse gas emissions. He explained that Unifeeder’s vessels operating in Europe are central to the generation of the verified carbon reductions that will be used in the carbon insetting program. Through the partnership with DP World, Unifeeder aims to contribute to global decarbonisation efforts and help customers achieve their environmental goals.
Unifeeder introduced its carbon insetting program, GreenBox, in June 2024. This program allows customers to support the company’s decarbonization activities by purchasing the carbon savings generated through its use of alternative fuels. This initiative aligns with Unifeeder’s broader sustainability efforts, which aim to reduce the environmental impact of its fleet while promoting sustainable practices in the shipping industry.
