Maersk Signs Up H&M for Carbon-Neutral Biofuel Trial

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Danish shipping giant Maersk says fashion group H&M has become the first company to sign up to trial a new carbon-neutral offering that utilizes the use biofuel to eliminate carbon emissions from shipping.

Maersk says the biofuel in the pilot project is the same blend of used cooking oil and heavy which has been tested and successfully validated in a trial driven in collaboration with the Dutch Sustainability Growth Coalition (DSGC), and Shell his year. It is also certified as a sustainable fuel by the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) body.

The new carbon neutral product will be made available to select Maersk customers who are looking reduce or eliminate carbon emissions from their supply chain.

Back in March, the containership Maersk Maersk set sail on a round trip from Rotterdam to Shanghai using a blend of biofuel produced from plant waste, marking the industry’s biggest tests to date of the fuel.

“The biofuel trial on board Mette Maersk has proven that decarbonized solutions for shipping can already be utilized today, both technically and operationally. While it is not yet an absolutely final solution it is certainly part of the solution and it can serve as a transition solution to reduce CO2 emissions today. With the launch of this product, Maersk seeks to help our customers with their goal of moving to sustainable supply chains,” said Søren Toft, Maersk COO.

Maersk says the goal of the pilot is to ultimately unlock the potential of sustainable fuels to the point where they are commercially available. Maersk itself has actually set a target of becoming carbon-neutral by 2050.

For H&M, the project offers the opportunity to reduce carbon emissions from ocean transport.

“Our high ambition to become climate positive by 2040 requires cooperation and engagement from all parties in the supply chain. We want to use our size to be a force for good and enable scaling innovative solutions, such as the carbon neutral ocean product, for a greener commercial transport,” says Helena Helmersson, COO H&M Group.

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