Greener course: ONE and Yusen join forces for low-carbon shipping

Singapore’s shipping player Ocean Network Express One (ONE) and Japan’s logistics provider Yusen Logistics (YL) have joined forces to support sustainable supply chain practices and marine transportation via the former’s green shipping service.

Per the terms of the agreement, with its ONE LEAF+ green shipping service, Ocean Network Express will rely on eco-friendly biofuels for propulsion. As a result, the company anticipates reaching a reduction in well-to-wake carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 84% compared to very low sulfur fuel fuel (VLSFO).

According to ONE, Yusen Logistics will provide this eco-conscious shipping option to customers, who can expect to minimize their Scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions this way.

“We are very pleased to sign an agreement with ONE as the first logistics company in Asia and aim to build a more sustainable future through the provision of eco-friendly shipping solutions together. By utilizing ONE LEAF+, we are proud to offer our customers more sustainable choices and contribute to the reduction of GHG emissions,” Kohei Omura, Head of Ocean Freight Forwarding Group, Yusen Logistics, commented.

ONE LEAF+, which stands for low emission-able freight, represents a suite of solutions that reportedly offers the opportunity to “proactively” measure emissions and minimize the environmental impact across the value chain.

As informed, the service presently utilizes ISCC-certified UCOME (used cooking oil methyl ester), a biofuel made in the food production process that is biodegradable and non-toxic.

ONE has elaborated that users can choose ‘flexible’ CO2e savings from roughly 10-80% and receive emissions reduction certificates—said to be verified independently—to track their environmental footprint.

The Singapore-based company has reported making ‘significant’ progress on its climate neutrality journey. In its 2024 Sustainability Report from October last year, ONE revealed it had accomplished a 62% decrease in Scope 1 emissions intensity in 2023 with 2008 as the baseline.

ONE also shared that the company could achieve a 70% reduction in Scope 1 emissions per TEU-km by 2030.

As understood, Yusen Logistics has also been working toward its mid-term target of slashing Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 45% by 2030, going all the way to net zero by 2050.

In December 2024, YL and compatriot shipping colossal Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Line) unveiled they would commence using a digital platform developed by 123Carbon, a Dutch start-up working on decarbonizing the logistics sector, for managing GHG emission reductions.

The partners said they would use the platform to focus on Scope 3 emissions which they aim to cut by allocating to platform customers the GHG reductions accomplished through the use of alternative fuels.