Three-year agreement enables Scope 3 emission reductions through sustainable marine fuels and book-and-claim accounting.
Initial order in July 2025 achieved 25,000 tons CO2e well-to-wake emission reduction.
Partnership aligns with Hapag-Lloyd’s 2045 net-zero fleet target and DHL’s 2050 net-zero ambition
Shipping and logistics giants DHL Global Forwarding and Hapag-Lloyd have deepened their collaboration on decarbonization, signing a three-year framework agreement that expands the use of sustainable marine fuels across Hapag-Lloyd’s fleet.
The agreement allows DHL’s freight forwarding customers to reduce Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through a book-and-claim system, a model that separates the climate benefit of sustainable fuel use from its physical application. In July 2025, the partners executed the first order under the deal, delivering 25,000 tons CO2e well-to-wake (WTW) emission reductions with biofuels derived from waste and residue feedstocks.
Book-and-Claim as a Scaling Tool
The framework builds on an emerging mechanism designed to address supply shortages of sustainable marine fuels. Under book-and-claim, carriers purchase biofuels and account for the associated emission reductions, while customers claim those reductions for their own climate reporting, regardless of where the fuel is physically used.
“Sustainable marine fuel enabled by book-and-claim is one of the most effective early tools we have to drive emissions down in shipping,” said Casper Ellerbaek, Head of Global Ocean Freight at DHL Global Forwarding. “This framework with Hapag-Lloyd gives our customers a credible way to decarbonize supply chains today, even before large-scale availability of alternatives.”
The shipping sector, responsible for nearly 3% of global GHG emissions, faces mounting regulatory and investor scrutiny. Limited production capacity and high costs continue to slow adoption of biofuels and other low-carbon marine fuels. Book-and-claim mechanisms have therefore gained traction among carriers and forwarders as a means of generating market demand and unlocking early investment.
Scaling Corporate Climate Action
Hapag-Lloyd, which operates one of the world’s largest container fleets, has used second-generation biofuels since 2020 and began offering its “Ship Green” emission-reduced transport service in 2023. DHL, meanwhile, has built its GoGreen Plus offering around book-and-claim, enabling corporate clients to report Scope 3 reductions in upstream and downstream logistics.
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“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,” said Danny Smolders, Managing Director Global Sales at Hapag-Lloyd. “Partnerships like this create momentum across the industry.”
Both companies link the initiative to their net-zero commitments. Hapag-Lloyd has set a 2045 target for its fleet, while DHL aims for company-wide net-zero emissions by 2050.
Implications for Global Supply Chains
For multinational companies facing new disclosure requirements, including those in the EU, UK and California, Scope 3 emissions are increasingly material. Freight and logistics are often among the largest contributors, making decarbonized shipping solutions strategically important.
By embedding sustainable fuel use into commercial products, DHL and Hapag-Lloyd are offering corporations both emission reductions and verifiable reporting frameworks. These tools could ease compliance with voluntary frameworks such as the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) as well as mandatory disclosure regimes under development.
Regional and Global Significance
Europe remains the primary hub for shipping decarbonization pilots, but the supply and pricing of sustainable marine fuels remain volatile. Executives and investors are watching closely for signals of scaling potential, with agreements like DHL-Hapag-Lloyd’s seen as early tests of commercial appetite.
For regulators, the partnership demonstrates how private sector mechanisms can bridge the gap between near-term demand and longer-term technological shifts, such as green ammonia or methanol adoption.
The broader test lies in whether corporate customers continue to purchase premium-priced solutions at sufficient scale to stimulate fuel supply growth. For DHL and Hapag-Lloyd, the three-year deal is as much about shaping customer behavior as it is about cutting emissions today.
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