BUILDING SUSTAINABLE LOGISTICS

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS | TEXT: DAVID J. CORD

DHL is investing billions to improve their environmental sustainability.

DHL delivers over 1.8 billion parcels annually to over 220 countries and territories around the world. They are continually working to make these deliveries as sustainably as possible.

“We are committed to lower our greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris Agreement and to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050,” says Oktay Nuri, CEO of DHL Express Finland. “Deutsche Post DHL Group is investing €7 billion by 2030 in sustainable aviation fuels, carbon-neutral buildings, electric vehicles and a comprehensive portfolio of green products.”

Aviation is extremely important for our modern lifestyle and economy, but the industry is a large source of greenhouse gas emissions. Newer planes have more efficient engines, better aerodynamics and lighter composite materials, which reduces fuel use and lowers emissions, but DHL is taking more drastic action.

In the spring of 2022 DHL Express announced BP and Neste would provide more than 800 million litres of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) until 2026. SAFs are biofuels made from sustainable sources like waste cooking oil. This agreement will save the equivalent of 400,000 cars’ annual emissions.

Another way to improve sustainability in aviation is with electric aircraft. DHL is working with Eviation Aircraft to develop the world’s first fully electric cargo plane. The plane, “Alice”, only recently made its maiden flight in the USA.

The world’s first fully electric cargo plane “Alice”.

Electric aviation still needs time to develop, but electric ground vehicles are already well-advanced. Today around a fifth of DHL’s delivery fleet is zero emission vehicles, with total green electricity across the whole company at 63%. In Finland, DHL Express is currently using electric vans in the Helsinki area and will double their number by the end of the year. Tampere and Turku will also receive their first e-vans before 2023.

“DHL’s environmental targets also include carbon neutral design to be used for all new buildings. Our Tampere Gateway Terminal, operational since 2019, is a lighthouse example of this,” says Nuri.

The terminal in Tampere uses geothermal heat, solar energy, advanced materials and a building automation system to improve energy efficiency. It also is ready for electric vehicles – both for operations and personnel.

DHL’s Tampere Gateway Terminal.

DHL’s product portfolio of green products includes carbon offsetting solution, carbon compensation reporting and analysis, more sustainable transportation options and improving logistics efficiency with optimisation solutions.

“When you shop online, ship something for your business, or send a gift to a loved one, you can be assured that we are doing everything possible to make your parcel’s journey more sustainable,” says Nuri. |

Read more at www.dpdhl.com/en/sustainability/ environment.html