Henkel to tap into DHL’s book-and-claim system for CO2 savings

German consumer goods maker Henkel will use DHL Global Forwarding’s (DHL) investment in biofuel insetting programs to reduce supply chain emissions from around 9,000 TEUs of ocean freight this year.

IMAGE: Freight vessel with cargo containers. Getty Images

Under the program, DHL will book shipping services with carriers that bunker waste- and residue-based biofuels or “sustainable marine fuels”.

The associated greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions are typically calculated using a mass-balance method, which tracks the amount of biofuel used across a fleet and allocates the equivalent CO2 savings to customers.

DHL will then transfer these reductions to Henkel through a book-and-claim system. This approach allows Henkel to claim emission savings even if its own cargo is carried on conventionally-fuelled vessels, as long as it pays a premium for the service.

Through this arrangement, DHL estimates Henkel’s shipments will avoid around 4,700 mt of CO2e well-to-wake emissions this year – about 85% less than conventional marine fuel on comparable voyages.

The initiative builds on a 2024 pilot between DHL and Henkel.

With most of Henkel’s shipments originating in Europe, the 2025 expansion signals rising demand for sustainable transport, DHL said, adding that large-scale use of sustainable marine fuels can “strengthen the market and ease availability constraints.”

“We hope this agreement will inspire other companies to transition to low-emission transportation services using sustainable marine fuel,” it added.

By Konica Bhatt

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