DP World’s Carbon Inset Programme rewards importers with certified carbon credits for reducing emissions through London Gateway and Southampton hubs.

DP World has launched a carbon reduction initiative at its UK logistics hubs, London Gateway and Southampton, designed to help cargo importers lower their emissions.

Starting on 1 January 2025, the Carbon Inset Programme will run as a six-month trial, rewarding importers with 50kg of CO₂e carbon credits for every loaded import container moved through DP World’s UK terminals. These credits, independently certified and issued quarterly, will highlight participating companies’ efforts to reduce indirect (Scope 3) emissions within their supply chains.

“Unlike traditional carbon offset credits, which compensate for emissions through external projects like tree planting, inset credits reflect a tangible reduction in emissions achieved directly in a company’s own supply chain,” DP World explained.

DP World emphasised the benefits for businesses: “This represents a transparent and measurable way to cut Scope 3 emissions – those indirectly produced along the supply chain – while demonstrating sustainability commitments to customers. If 50% of import volumes participate in the trial at DP World’s UK container terminals, this could replace over 11,000 tonnes of traditional fossil fuels with lower-carbon marine fuels, equivalent to the reduction of 10,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide.”

The inset credits are generated through DP World’s subsidiary, Unifeeder, which uses incrementally lower-carbon fuels across its Northern European shipping network.