Sustainability

Boox created reusable boxes and bags to cut down on shipping waste and promote a circular economy.

Experts believe the FHA pledge amount is far below the total funds needed.

XPO Logistics released a sustainability report that hones in on recruiting underrepresented groups and using optimization to reduce emissions.

FreightWaves’ Mary O’Connell and Convoy’s Jennifer Wong sit down to talk about decarbonizing the supply chain and the importance of progress over perfection.

GoBolt, a Toronto-based provider of last-mile logistics and e-commerce fulfillment solutions, brings its all-electric fleet to the U.S.

Paccurate raised $2.2 million to advance its cartonization and optimization platform.

Change for the future

Locomation expects to be the first company to deploy autonomous trucking technology safely, legally and routinely in commercial operations at scale across the United States, starting next year.

While consumers are directly responsible for the majority of food waste, supply chain mishaps cause 40% of food waste in North America. That includes food that spoils in transit.

Companies across the logistics industry will need to start considering their carbon footprint as new regulations come down and consumers start voting with their dollars.

Using data to optimize supply chain efficiencies can reduce costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

FreightWaves hosted its second annual Net-Zero Carbon Summit, sponsored by Convoy, on Friday.

CSX, XPO Logistics and AIT Worldwide Logistics were among several companies to make sustainability announcements on Earth Day.

FreightWaves’ Danny Gomez chats with Convoy CEO Dan Lewis and Generational Investment Management partner Joy Tuffield about the numerous benefits that come when competing companies collaborate on sustainability.

Emily Phillips, VP of advanced solutions at XPO Logistics, chats with FreightWaves’ Kaylee Nix at the Net-Zero Carbon Summit.

An inflection point has been reached. Customers are now much more focused on sustainability, according to Ray Fennelly of AIT Worldwide Logistics.

During FreightWaves’ Net-Zero Carbon Summit, experts chat about how FreightVana is working with One Tree Planted to plant a tree for every shipment it moves.

Norfolk Southern Chief Sustainability Officer Josh Raglin chats with Tyler Cole of FreightWaves about the ways that the freight rail industry is helping stakeholders adopt sustainable practices.

AIT Worldwide Logistics plans to use carbon offsets and emission-reduction strategies to reach net-zero emissions by 2035.

Developing strong carbon offset programs may be the holy grail, Redwood Logistics CEO says.

Former EPA Administrator Christine Todd Whitman explains in an Earth Day interview how the freight industry can embrace a more environmentally friendly future.

Convoy is preparing for FreightWaves’ second annual Net-Zero Carbon Summit, taking place Friday, April 22.

The digital freight network has reached a $3.8 billion valuation after raising $160 million in series E funding and $100 in venture debt.

FreightWaves interviewed the CEO of Titan Freight Systems to get insights about the company’s sustainability initiatives and why Earth Day matters.

Plug Power entered an agreement to provide Walmart lift trucks with up to 20 tons of green hydrogen per day.

DHL is talking to customers about sustainability and measuring emissions, DHL Supply Chain’s Jason Gillespie said during this episode of Net-Zero Carbon.

The trucking industry will not be exempt from extreme weather impacts.

On this episode of Net-Zero Carbon, the CEO of Leonard’s Express talks about the company’s strategies to reduce emissions in long-haul trucking.

The CEO and co-founder of Treet answers questions about his resale platform and the growing recommerce industry.

The partnership marks a “pivotal step” toward making green e-methanol more accessible and commercially viable for the maritime industry.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres last week addressed the importance of doing more to decrease greenhouse gas emissions.

ZeroAvia signed a memorandum of understanding with ZEV Station to “kick-start hydrogen fueling for aviation in California and beyond,” says ZEV Station CEO.

Fewer than one in five businesses have reliable metrics in place to track the carbon footprint of their supply chain, research says.

Carbon offsets are a growing alternative or additional step toward reducing emissions in sectors like transportation.

“The conversation around empty miles is not a new conversation,” said Jennifer Wong, head of sustainability at Convoy. But now it’s about more than just saving money.

FreightWaves adviser Matt Waller answers questions about shifting priorities that may include sustainability.

Folding five empty shipping containers into the space of one could curb smuggling, save shippers money and reduce emissions.

While hydrogen fuel cells offer a promising alternative to ozone-threatening diesel engines, creating an electric-friendly infrastructure will require dedication from government regulators, equipment manufacturers and industry players alike.

Covering a tractor and trailer in solar panels could potentially generate more than 18,000 watt hours of energy per day in California conditions.

Tracks emissions technology will help project44 customers measure and mitigate scope 3 supply chain emissions, which are currently difficult to track.

The current regulatory environment can be opaque and confusing, with each state left to create — or not — its own rules surrounding EVs. So far, six states have adopted a regulatory framework that requires a percentage of each fleet’s trucks to meet the definitions of zero-emission vehicle in the next few years.

Data can help identify causes of inefficiency and inform better decision-making.

Carriers can become significantly more sustainable by simply focusing on solutions that make their fleets more efficient, reducing miles driven to move each load and cutting down on emissions.

Convoy has released its Q1 2022 Carrier Sustainability Survey in conjunction with this week’s Mid-America Trucking Show (MATS). 

Tern, a Bay Area-based technology company founded last year, is the latest to enter the red-hot commerce returns space.

“With every SAF deal, we are increasingly aware of the huge task that lies ahead in utilizing more sustainable solutions to help our customers,” said John Pearson, CEO of DHL Express.

Experts discuss how environmental impacts and supply chain resilience are becoming increasingly important.

Consumers are becoming more aware of both the urgency of climate change and the complexities of the supply chain. Companies should be prepared for consumers to start calculating supply chain sustainability into their purchasing decisions.

In partnership, FreightWaves and Convoy recently released a report on the awareness and impact of empty miles.

“Solving the climate emergency and decarbonizing our customers’ supply chains is a strategic imperative for Maersk,” said CEO Soren Skou.

“This exceptional group of women have persevered through the uncertain times brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, exhibiting the true example of a leader,” said Ellen Voie, WIT president and CEO.

Rising sea levels and increasingly extreme weather are expected to cost ports and shippers billions of dollars annually.

“I think we’re looking at the beginning of the largest commodity market we’ve ever seen,” said Peter Fusaro, founder of the Wall Street Green Summit.

The six companies plan to produce at least 730,000 metric tons of green methanol by the end of 2025.

Vessel strikes are a major threat to whales, so better monitoring of their locations could help reduce collisions.

According to the most recent U.N. climate change report, the impacts of global warming are becoming more widespread and severe across the world.

In general, land-based oil spills are more time-intensive to clean up, but oil spreads out more rapidly in water.

“Ranges for zero-emission trucks are improving over time with battery technology advancements,” said Yin Qiu, data scientist at Calstart.

Hyper rail systems could transport containers to and from ports quickly, according to WickedHyper’s CEO.

The TaxiBot is not an autonomous taxi for city travel. It’s a robot vehicle that pulls aircraft to the runway.

“Today, no area on the planet is left untouched by plastic pollution, from deep-sea sediment to Mount Everest. The planet deserves a multilateral solution ­that speaks from source to sea,” said Amina J. Mohammed, deputy secretary-general of the U.N.

EcoCart will manage a new carbon-offset program for Walmart Canada that will aim to eliminate emissions from its last-mile delivery operation.

Decreasing turnover rates and making companies more efficient requires job transparency to pull in the right people and maintaining a constant state of innovation to attract more people.

Expanding highways can come with a variety of other unintended consequences, too, such as congestion off of highways in nearby cities, as well as air pollution.

JLE Industries is considering a variety of solutions to help more than 70% of its customers satisfy their ESG mandates.

They say April showers bring May flowers, but Spring Free EV is skipping right to the flowers with a new financing model for fleet owners and drivers.

Energy generated by the solar panels will charge the battery and power liftgates and ancillary equipment.

The procurement module will help companies find more sustainable suppliers, said Ethan Soloviev, chief innovation officer at HowGood.

“We are excited to help usher in a new era of intelligent, modern logistics with a focus on sustainability for our customers, our employees, our shareholders and our planet,” said Lily Shen, CEO and president.

“Partnering with Bunker Holding will accelerate the marine industry adoption of biodiesel to achieve aggressive carbon reduction goals,” said Bob Kenyon, senior vice president of sales and marketing at REG.

Nexxiot co-founder Daniel MacGregor chats with FreightWaves’ Tyler Cole about how data and Internet of Things can impact sustainability.

FreightWaves’ Tony Mulvey and Torqata’s Rak-Joon Choi discuss how visibility and blockchain technology are impacting the automotive industry.

Of 18 companies that Friend of the Sea evaluated, it identified Hapag-Lloyd as “the international shipping company most committed to minimizing the risk of whale ship strikes.”

Green ammonia production emits no carbon dioxide, but it has major safety, cost and scaling hurdles to overcome.

The European Union announced this month that it will begin to label some nuclear power and natural gas plants, under certain conditions, as sustainable investments or “transitional green energy sources.”

A carbon price is an “essential element in any decarbonization plan,” John Butler, president and CEO of WSC, said during a press conference Thursday.

Near-space vehicle producer Destinus just secured $29 million to build out its autonomous, hydrogen-powered hypersonic cargo plane.

“This deal is a great opportunity to accelerate our joint sustainability efforts. SAF has a lot of potential to reduce CO2 emissions,” said Adriaan den Heijer, executive vice president at AFKLM Cargo and managing director at Martinair.

Value Maritime has developed a system to capture carbon onboard vessels, fill up CO2 batteries and use the captured carbon dioxide in greenhouses.

“Efficiency is the place to start. Look for opportunities to collaborate,” said Ryan Purcell, senior director of supply chain, global health and development at Coupa Software.

AskWaves dives into the potential benefits and drawbacks of using blue hydrogen on the path to green hydrogen.

“A complete transition to ZET technology would not only help mitigate the impacts of climate change and poor air quality but could eventually lower total cost of ownership for fleets and create job growth in the U.S.,” the report said.

Sustainability leaders like Convoy are advocating for the freight industry to focus its attention on working to decrease carbon emissions and eliminate waste.

“We’re not looking to replace trains. We’re looking to augment trains with a system that is trying to be competitive as an alternative to trucks,” said Matt Soule, co-founder and CEO at Parallel Systems.

“I do believe that companies can make this profitable for themselves,” said Zsofia Agnes Nagy, supply chain adviser at BZLW Consulting.

These days, seasonality has become nothing short of unpredictable. 

Despite voluntary sustainability efforts and increasing regulations, shipping emissions are on the rise.

Volkswagen aims to support sustainability in shipbuilding and ship recycling through the initiative, said Simon Motter, head of Volkswagen Group Logistics.

The less-than-truckload service provider is using low-carbon diesel, efficiency improvements and electrification to reduce emissions.

The infrastructure, cost and emissions benefits of renewable natural gas make it a promising alternative fuel to decarbonize trucking, experts said.

Kubed Living is turning shipping containers into homes, offices and gyms.

“We founded Parallel to allow railroads to open new markets, increase infrastructure utilization and improve service to accelerate freight decarbonization,” said Matt Soule, co-founder and CEO at Parallel Systems.

“An earlier transition will allow more gradual changes, thereby reducing the risk of significant disruptions of the sector and of asset stranding,” the report said.

“We need to be able to not only get that data, but as a transportation industry, we need to understand how to interpret that data,” said Brad Benbow, business growth investments at Ardagh Group.

“Climate protection is an issue that impacts everyone. While we can work towards this goal internally, we also wanted to provide an opportunity to enroll our customers in our mission toward carbon neutrality,” said Mark McCullough, Gebrüder Weiss USA CEO.

Marketing and sustainability go hand in hand in the success of any organization, and the balance of the two in the media can widely affect the perception of the organization.

North American freight railroads can pursue sustainability that not only benefits customers but also the railroads’ bottom line, according to panelists at a Transportation Research Board session.

“This year will be the year for Maersk to ensure green solutions are developed end to end,” said Henriette Hallberg Thygesen, CEO of fleet and strategic brands at Maersk.

Google-backed Nuro has released its third-generation delivery vehicle, simply called Nuro, and will partner with Kroger to roll it out in Houston.

Because it costs more money than it’s worth to return the item to its vendor for reuse, returns often end up in landfills.