DHL Global Forwarding is the first forwarder in the industry to launch a new green service that allows customers to opt for carbon efficient ocean freight, which best fits their transport needs.

Available immediately, the new Green Danmar service—offered through Danmar Lines, DHL’s own NVOCC—enables customers to select a carrier for full container shipping, which is over five percent more carbon efficient than the industry average. In addition, they have the choice to combine this service with DHL’s offsetting solution and turn their consignment into a CO2 free shipment. Environmentally conscious customers now have the option to further improve ocean freight carbon efficiency, and thus come one step closer to achieving their CO2 reduction goals.

“We see more and more customers expressing an interest in minimizing the carbon footprint of their shipments,” said Dominique von Orelli, senior vice president at DHL Global Forwarding. “With Green Danmar, we are the first freight forwarding company to offer customers a green service for their ocean freight shipments that can be tailored according to their supply chain needs.”

The newly launched green service can be optionally selected by customers using DHL’s full container load product. Through a strict vendor management process, carriers whose carbon efficiency is at least five percent above the industry average are identified. From the eligible green carriers, Danmar Lines will choose the one which best fits customer’s operational needs at the best cost available.

Shipper benefits include transparency on carriers’ environmental performance as well as from strict certification and auditing procedures. Customers also receive regular carbon reports, annual shipments overviews, and offsetting certificates, which they can include in their corporate responsibility reports.

DHL Global Forwarding has improved its carbon efficiency in ocean freight by over 40 percent since 2007. This result can be tracked back to the technological progress of the industry, such as the introduction of bigger and more efficient ocean vessels, and to DHL’s carrier management and selection approach.

DHL’s carrier selection approach is based on the GoGreen carrier scorecards, which evaluate the environmental performance of the partner carriers based on four criteria: cooperation, carbon efficiency, transparency and engagement. The new evaluation scheme was introduced in December 2015 by providing ocean freight partners of DHL Global Forwarding with GoGreen Performance Certificates. This was followed by bilateral discussions on how to continuously improve carbon efficiency and foster sustainable ocean freight business across the industry.