The fuel used is called Used Cooking oil methyl ester (UCOME) and is based on renewable and sustainable sources, mainly waste cooking oil.

Avolta and DB Schenker have partnered on marine biofuel for a Barcelona-Miami transport route. This is the first contract of its kind in the Spanish market, whereby all Avolta containers on this route will be shipped through the application of waste-based marine biofuels and additional units of sustainable marine biofuel.

In the context of shipping, the new International Maritime Organization (IMO) strategy calls for a 40% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2023 and for at least 10% of the energy used in shipping to come from zero-energy sources, to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Avolta noted this biofuel switch could prevent over 150 tonnes of CO2 ‘Well-to-Wake’ emissions per year, based on Avolta’s 2023 container volume on this route, reducing up to 84% of the CO2 emissions.

Camillo Rossotto, Chief Public Affairs & ESG Officer Avolta, commented: “We are taking a significant step forward towards decarbonising our shipments and route transportations. This agreement represents the starting point of the transitioning to biofuel for ocean freight which will contribute to decarbonise our logistic emission.

Our company’s commitment to sustainability is firm and long-term and, as proof of this, we are planning to increase the volume of containers transported using biofuel, advancing in the sustainable and low-emission transportation industry.”

The application will be guided by the Book & Claim System, a set of principles developed through a global, multi-stakeholder process with third-party validation.

This process is in place to ensure the use of this chain of custody model has full traceability and credibility, as well as a demonstrable climate impact.

Miguel Ángel de la Torre, director of maritime transport at DB Schenker in Iberia, added: “Our mission is to help, facilitate, and guide our customers in the sustainable transformation, and on this occasion, we are doing so by offering this biofuel so that they can convert their freight transport into low-emission transport.

In this way, our customer Avolta is not only pioneering and helping to reduce emissions but is also ahead of the new regulations and associated benefits that will be tightened in the coming years”.

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