Hapag-Lloyd and Kuehne+Nagel tap ‘book-and-claim’ model to slash ocean freight emissions

German container shipping major Hapag-Lloyd and Swiss logistics giant Kuehne+Nagel (K+N) have launched a new collaboration to provide emission-reduced ocean transport solutions, deepening their long-standing partnership.

As part of the agreement, K+N will leverage Hapag-Lloyd’s ‘Ship Green’ product to mitigate the carbon footprint of its ocean freight shipments. Introduced in 2023, the ‘Ship Green’ service allows customers to reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity of their shipments by substituting conventional marine fuel with waste-based biofuels.

From April to December 2026, the collaboration will cover approximately 3,300 TEU of cargo transported on the East Asia to North Europe trade lane.

By using certified waste- and residue-based SMFs, the move is expected to avoid around 2,979 tonnes of CO2e emissions on a well-to-wake basis. The partners confirmed that approximately 1,000 tonnes of SMF, compliant with the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive (RED III), will be deployed.

This new agreement with Kuehne+Nagel takes the partnership “to the next level,” said Danny Smolders, managing director of Global Sales at Hapag-Lloyd.

“With Ship Green, we offer a scalable solution that enables our customers to actively reduce their Scope 3 emissions today.”

The collaboration is underpinned by a ‘book-and-claim’ chain-of-custody mechanism. This allows K+N to claim verified emission reductions regardless of whether the biofuel is physically used on the specific vessels carrying their containers. Only emission reductions generated by biofuels used within Hapag-Lloyd’s own operated fleet are allocated to the logistics provider.

“By having strong partnerships, making emissions data transparent, and enabling scope 3 reductions, we help customers navigate in a credible, market-based way, designed to accelerate the uptake of alternative fuels,” commented Paolo Montrone, head of Trade Global Sea Logistics at Kuehne+Nagel.

The move aligns with the ambitious climate roadmaps of both organisations. The world’s fifth-largest container shipping company is targeting net-zero fleet operations by 2045, while K+N has committed to achieving net-zero emissions across its entire value chain by 2050.

As the maritime industry faces increasing regulatory pressure from the IMO and the EU ETS, the partners view the ‘book-and-claim’ approach as a vital bridging solution, enabling immediate climate action while the industry builds the necessary infrastructure for a full energy transition.

The K+N deal follows similar Hapag-Lloyd’s initiatives, including a 100,000-tonne reduction project with IKEA and a recent two-year framework with DSV targeting 18,000 tonnes of CO2e through SMFs.