Maersk has brought forward its target to deliver net zero emissions across its supply chains by ten years to 2040, now covering all direct and indirect emissions across its entire business.
The Danish company has also committed to near-targets for 2030, aiming to ensure industry-leading green offerings and significant emissions reductions already in this decade.
These include a 50% reduction in emissions per transported container in the Maersk Ocean fleet and a 70% reduction in absolute emissions from fully controlled terminals.
Depending on growth in the ocean business, this will lead to absolute emissions reductions between 35% and 50% from a 2020 baseline.
Soren Skou, CEO of A.P. Moller-Maersk said: “As a global provider of end-to-end logistics services across all transport modes, it is a strategic imperative for Maersk to extend our net zero ambition to the total footprint of the business.
“The science is clear, we must act now to deliver significant progress in this decade. These very ambitious targets mark our commitment to society and to the many customers who call for net zero supply chains.”
Henriette Hallberg Thygesen, CEO of fleet and strategic brands at A.P. Moller-Maersk stated: “Our updated targets and accelerated timelines reflect a very challenging, yet viable pathway to net zero which is driven by advances in technology and solutions.
“What is needed is a rapid scale-up which we will strive to achieve in close collaboration with customers and suppliers across the entire supply chain.”
The company believes that the targets will align it with the net zero criteria of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) pathway to limit global warming to 1.5°C.
It is looking to deliver natural climate solutions that go above and beyond the 1.5°C target to build a portfolio of natural climate solutions that will result in around 5m tonnes of CO2 savings per year by 2030.
Covering indirect emissions means the targets address emissions from third party suppliers such as inland transport services and vessel building.
The transport provider noted that tackling this challenge will require extensive data insights and close collaboration with local and regional suppliers of products and services across its business footprint.
In particular, Maersk wants 25% of all cargo in its ocean business to be transported using green fuels, which are defined as fuels or energy that have low or very low greenhouse gas emissions on a life cycle basis.
In contract logistics, comprising warehouses and depots, and the cold chain, it is targeting a minimum of 90% green operations.
Meanwhile, in inland transportation, targets will be set during 2022.
