Sustainable Marine Fuel powers Henkel’s green shipping with DHL

DHL Global Forwarding has partnered with Henkel to use Sustainable Marine Fuel (SMF) for most of the company’s ocean freight in 2025, reducing transport-related greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 4,700 metric tons of CO₂e on a well-to-wake basis.

The agreement will cover around 9,000 TEUs of Henkel’s ocean freight volumes under DHL’s GoGreen Plus service. By replacing fossil fuels with waste- and residues-based maritime fuels, the companies aim to cut emissions by about 85 percent on the main haul compared to conventional marine fuel. The reductions will be verified by independent certification body SGS.

Most of Henkel’s shipments will originate in Europe, but the move highlights a wider shift towards low-emission supply chains that also impacts India. As both companies have strong operations connected to the Indian market, the initiative underlines the increasing importance of sustainable logistics solutions for global trade flows involving the country.

Amanda Rasmussen, Chief Commercial Officer at DHL Global Forwarding, said the expansion marks another milestone in the joint decarbonisation journey. She noted that combining Henkel’s climate strategy with DHL’s sustainable solutions shows that decarbonising supply chains is possible today and could inspire others to adopt SMF.

Henkel’s Global Category Manager Sea & Air Freight, Ondrej Slezacek, said working with DHL on sustainable transport solutions is central to reducing emissions within logistics and accelerating the shift to low-emission practices in the industry.

The initiative builds on a 2024 pilot where Henkel and DHL tested SMF on selected volumes. The larger scale in 2025 reflects growing demand for sustainable transport and strengthens the market for such fuels.

DHL’s GoGreen Plus product line, based on the book and claim approach, allows customers to replace fossil fuels within DHL’s network and claim the related environmental benefits. This supports customers in reducing Scope 3 emissions across their supply chains and reporting progress against decarbonisation targets.