Freight News, Logistics

Smart way to go Green

[ March 27, 2012   //   Chris ]

The SmartWay Europe industry-led initiative to improve the environmental performance of road freight transport in Europe has been renamed Green Freight Europe. The group, which includes shippers, carriers, retailers and associations, helps companies reduce carbon emissions by calculating and monitoring them through a central database, with shippers encouraged to compare the environmental performances of different carriers. A certification system will also be established.

Björn Hannappel from Deutsche Post DHL and chair of the Green Freight Europe steering group, explained: “Our programme is clearly striking a chord with people from industry and politics who recognise that greater visibility is required in the actual emissions generated by road freight transport operations in order to find the best solutions to reduce them. The time is right for industry, shippers, carriers and logistics service providers to work together to provide the tools and means to do this.

Andrew Traill, policy director for the European Shippers’ Council which, along with the Dutch shippers’ organisation EVO, is providing the secretariat for Green Freight Europe, added: “We hope this sends out a strong signal to other companies and organisations to join us and get involved in the development work that is taking place, and to use the tools that we produce in order to reduce CO2 emissions. The EU’s emissions targets cannot be achieved without industry’s proactive support and engagement in such initiatives.”

 

Tags: environment, green freight europe, Logistics, Shipping