Inditex Commits to Low-Carbon Shipping Fuels with Maersk

Spanish clothing company Inditex, the parent company of fashion brands like Zara and Massimo Dutti, has joined forces with Danish shipping line Maersk in an effort to reduce its global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from shipping by committing to use low-carbon alternative fuels in ocean transport.

Maersk introduced its ECO Delivery Ocean program in 2019 as part of its commitment to accelerating the decarbonization of the maritime industry. The program offers customers low-carbon shipping options by replacing conventional fossil fuels on ships with green fuels like green methanol or second-generation biodiesel derived from waste feedstocks. This transition is expected to achieve a GHG emissions reduction of over 80% compared to conventional sources.

Customers using the ECO Delivery Ocean option receive externally verified certificates confirming the corresponding greenhouse gas savings, and these transports will be exempted from EU Emissions Trading System charges in the future.

The partnership aims to incorporate alternative fuels in all of Inditex’s inbound routes with Maersk.

Through this collaboration, Inditex becomes one of the first companies to allocate 100% of its ocean inbound cargo to Maersk’s ECO Delivery product, according to Emilio de la Cruz, Managing Director of Maersk’s Area South West Europe. “We know Inditex since long as a very responsibly and sustainably thinking partner and customer and going all the way on their ocean cargo is good news for the environment and climate,” he said.

Both Inditex and Maersk are committed to becoming net-zero companies across all business areas by 2040. In addition to utilizing ECO Delivery for their ocean cargo, Inditex is actively promoting multimodal transport and collaborating on a rail solution pilot in the South of Spain with Maersk, RENFE, and Cepsa, which was launched earlier this year.

“Through this joint initiative with Maersk, we are making significant strides in reducing emissions associated with our sea freight,” said Abel Lopez, Head of Import, Export, and Transport at Inditex. “This project aligns with our goal to reach net zero emissions in 2040 and contributes to scale alternative fuels with a significant reduced carbon footprint.”

Maersk reports a “high and dynamic” demand for their low GHG emission shipping product as customers seek solutions to reduce their scope 3 emissions.

“A lot of customers are asking us for a solution to reduce their scope 3 emissions, and the first customers are buying this premium solution for their whole cargo under Maersk Bill of Lading now. We are happy to serve this demand with ECO Delivery on an instant basis”, Emilio de la Cruz adds.

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