DHL and Hapag-Lloyd Set Sail for a Greener Future
- Tharindu Ameresekere
- Oct 3, 2025
- 1 min read
Freight company DHL Global Forwarding and container shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd have signed a new three-year agreement to reduce Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through the use of sustainable marine fuels in Hapag-Lloyd’s ocean shipping fleet.
The partnership will utilize a “book and claim” system, a chain of custody mechanism that enables customers to claim emission reductions separately from the physical fuel used. This approach allows decarbonization to occur independently of where sustainable marine fuels are physically deployed, an important step given their current limited global availability.
Under the agreement, second-generation biofuels will be used via this mechanism. These biofuels are derived from certified waste and residue sources, such as used cooking oil and brown grease, and serve as cleaner alternatives to traditional marine fuel oil. Hapag-Lloyd, which introduced its “Ship Green” program in 2023, has been incorporating second-generation biofuels since 2020 to offer lower-emission ocean transport solutions.
The collaboration is already showing tangible results. In July 2025, DHL and Hapag-Lloyd achieved 25,000 tons of CO2e emission reductions from their first joint order. Both companies see this as a key milestone in their broader decarbonization journeys, Hapag-Lloyd aims for net zero fleet emissions by 2045, while DHL targets net zero GHG emissions by 2050.
Leaders from both firms emphasized the importance of collaboration in driving sustainable progress. Hapag-Lloyd’s Danny Smolders highlighted the success of their partnership with DHL, while DHL’s Casper Ellerbaek called the agreement “a crucial step toward realizing a decarbonized shipping industry.”
Together, DHL and Hapag-Lloyd are paving the way for greener, low-carbon logistics across global supply chains.
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