Freight company DHL Global Forwarding and container shipping company Hapag-Lloyd announced today a new three-year agreement aimed at enabling Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions through the use of sustainable marine fuels in Hapag-Lloyd’s fleet for ocean shipping.

The new agreement utilizes a “book and claim” chain of custody mechanism, which enables customers to claim Scope 3 emission reduction for their transport separately from the physical use of the fuel, decoupling decarbonization from the physical transportation of sustainable marine fuel, which is currently limited in supply globally.

The agreement will allow the use of second-generation biofuels via the book and claim approach. Hapag-Lloyd has been deploying second-generation biofuels since 2020, and in 2023 the company launched “Ship Green,” its emission-reduced ocean transport product utilizing biofuel blends instead of traditional fossil marine fuel oil (MFO). Its second-generation biofuels are sourced from certified supply chains and waste- or residue-based feedstock, such as brown grease or used cooking oil.

As part of the agreement, DHL and Hapag-Lloyd said that they have already achieved 25,000 tons CO2e emissions reductions through a first order executed in July 2025.

Danny Smolders, Managing Director Global Sales at Hapag-Lloyd, said:

“We are delighted to have completed this order with DHL, demonstrating the feasibility and effectiveness of using sustainable marine fuels to reduce Scope 3 emissions through our Ship Green product. Partnering with DHL shows how powerful collaboration can be. Together, we are creating real momentum in further decarbonizing supply chains, one bold step at a time.”

Both DHL and Hapag-Lloyd have set net zero goals, with Hapag-Lloyd aiming to achieve net zero fleet emissions by 2045, and DHL targeting reaching net zero GHG emissions by 2050. The companies said that offering more sustainable logistics solutions to customers is a key lever to achieve these goals.

Casper Ellerbaek, Head of Global Ocean Freight at DHL Global Forwarding, said:

“The signing of this three-year framework agreement marks a crucial step toward realizing our shared vision of a decarbonized shipping industry. We are thrilled to partner with Hapag-Lloyd in driving the adoption of sustainable marine fuels and the book and claim mechanism, ultimately empowering our customers to achieve their climate goals.”