Covestro Starts Electric Truck Transports for Short-Distance Chemical Shipping
The company has started its first electric truck shipments for short-distance chemical transport at its production site in Shanghai, China. Covestro initiated a green logistics pilot program in collaboration with partners in China in November last year. The company reports that the collaboration has yielded positive results and has transitioned into operational implementation. This is marked by an agreement with COSCO Shipping Logistics & Supply Chain Management Co., Ltd. to propel the commercial deployment of electric trucks dedicated to the short-distance transport of chemicals at Covestro Integrated Site Shanghai (CISS).
As part of this collaborative effort, the initial phase involves the introduction of the first electric heavy-duty truck to replace the existing diesel truck for transporting polymeric diphenylmethane diisocyanate (pMDI) from the Shanghai site to nearby warehouses. This transition is set to cover part of the annual pMDI shuttle volume at Covestro’s largest production site, resulting in a projected reduction of 43 tons of CO2e in well-to-wheel emissions in 2024 compared to the 2022 baseline — a 22% decrease. The future use of green power to charge the trucks will further contribute to the goal of achieving net zero in logistics.
"As a pivotal route toward achieving net zero, green logistics is poised to deliver sustainable solutions for mitigating scope 3 emissions. We look forward to working with Covestro to advance the exploration and adoption of sustainable logistics solutions in the chemical industry and contribute to the ultimate goal of net-zero emissions from the logistics side," said Fu Peng, executive VP, COSCO Shipping Logistics & Supply Chain Management.
"The supply chain plays a crucial role in the chemical industry’s journey to achieve climate neutrality, demanding collaboration beyond individual company boundaries. The commercial deployment of this groundbreaking electric truck for chemical shuttling is poised to act as a catalyst, propelling our site and company towards climate neutrality and a circular economy," stated Dr. Yun Chen, General Manager of CISS.
Approximately 80% of Covestro’s total emissions stem from scope 3 emissions, or indirect emissions resulting from upstream and downstream processes, including supply chains, material transport, and raw material processing. Covestro reports that this effort is designed to rigorously assess the viability of specific strategies under distinct scenarios. Among the explored solutions is the utilization of subsidized biodiesel in Shanghai for long-haul transport of dangerous goods, as well as the integration of hydrogen fuel cell-powered trucks.
Source: Covestro