From scope 1 to 3, DP World is holding itself and its customers accountable in terms of decarbonisation. We asked them how they’re doing it.
Operators around the world are deeply concerned about decarbonisation, as revealed by IRU’s new survey. This anxiety stems from various causes, including high costs, the lack of infrastructure, and a complex regulatory environment.
The industry is nevertheless tackling the challenge head-on.
We asked Nicholas Mazzei, IRU member DP World’s Sustainability Vice-President for Europe, how they are navigating the complex challenge of decarbonisation.
How are you decarbonising?
We’re tackling decarbonisation on two fronts: reducing emissions across our own operations and enabling our customers to reduce theirs.
In Europe, our target is to cut scope 1 and 2 emissions by 51% by 2030. We’re electrifying equipment, switching to renewables, and driving process efficiency.
Rotterdam World Gateway is the world’s first fully electric container terminal – a clear success story of our approach. We have reduced our emissions by 7% since 2019 and 17% in ports and terminals alone.
But the scale of impact is magnified when we combine our own progress with the role we play in helping our customers decarbonise their supply chains. Our scope 1 and 2 emissions are our customers’ scope 3 emissions*, which are often the hardest to measure and reduce.
So when we decarbonise our own operations, we simplify and enable the much-needed decarbonisation of supply chains.
*Scope 1: Emissions released directly by a company's own operations. Scope 2: Emissions from the generation of electricity, heat, or steam a company purchases from a utility or other supplier. Scope 3: All other indirect emissions that occur in a company's value chain.
How are you helping your customers decarbonise?
We have many decarbonisation programmes for our customers.
Our influence goes beyond our operations. We are also helping our customers make more sustainable choices in their supply chains. Our Modal Shift Programme in the UK is a good example. By incentivising modal switch between road and rail, we’ve helped save over 25,000 tonnes of CO₂ since launching the programme two years ago.
In parallel, our Carbon Inset Programme allows customers to directly invest in emissions reduction within our operations. We award them 50kg CO2e of certified carbon credits for every container moved through our terminals.
Globally, we’re part of the First Movers Coalition and the Move to Minus 15°C, driving innovation and leadership in shipping and cold chain logistics.
We’re also scaling our Supply Chain Sustainability Programme to engage over 70,000 suppliers across Europe on scope 3 emissions.
None of this can be achieved in isolation. Collaboration with customers, suppliers and industry peers, and governments is critical.
What game-changer trends are on the horizon?
There’s a lot of noise in this space. But a few key trends will make a real impact if we’re serious about cutting emissions in road transport.
Electric trucks are getting a lot of attention, and rightly so. We’re testing some of the latest models and the technology is ready.
What’s holding us back is charging infrastructure. Without widespread, high-capacity charging at depots and along key freight corridors, operators can’t make the switch at scale.
It’s the same story with hydrogen. Great potential, but the fuel infrastructure must match.
There’s also a big opportunity in how we design and manage trade corridors. Intermodal hubs that combine road, rail and inland waterways more efficiently can drastically cut emissions, especially when paired with digital systems that improve routing and reduce empty miles. The challenge is making these corridors commercially attractive and well-connected across borders.
And then there’s regulation. Standards like the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive are forcing businesses to get a grip on their scope 3 emissions, which include everything from outsourced transport to supplier emissions and customer freight activity. That’s putting logistics in the spotlight and encouraging companies to work with partners like us to find cleaner solutions.
All of this is moving in the right direction. But for any of these trends to be real game-changers, they need to be backed by serious investment and cross-sector collaboration. Technology on its own isn’t enough.
Which incentives are most effective?
The most effective incentives are those that reduce risk for businesses willing to lead. For example, co-investment in clean infrastructure, grants for low-emission vehicles, and favourable policies for inland shipping.
We need public funding for charging networks, especially along key freight routes. Fleet incentives should be accessible to large operators and SMEs alike. And perhaps most importantly, we need regulatory stability. Businesses are ready to invest, but they need to trust that the rules will stay consistent over time.
In Europe, the regulatory ecosystem is heading in the right direction. But the rollout must be supported with practical guidance and long-term clarity to unlock private sector investment.
How do you track progress?
We track emissions across scopes 1, 2 and 3 using a combination of in-house data systems and third-party platforms.
Scope 3 includes emissions from our value chain, such as suppliers, outsourced logistics and customer operations. These typically represent the largest share and are the most complex to manage.
Our targets are aligned with the Science Based Targets initiative. We review progress regularly at both executive and operational levels. In Europe, we run monthly reviews at the management board level, with emissions performance embedded into business KPIs.
We’ve also launched a supplier data programme using platforms like Sedex and Watershed to build visibility into our wider value chain, particularly for scope 3.
We’re focused on both data quality and transparency. If something isn’t going to plan, we say so. That’s how we learn and keep ourselves and our partners accountable.
Discover more decarbonisation best practices and expertise in IRU's new Green Compact Survey Report.
About DP World
With a dedicated, diverse and professional team of more than 114,000 people spanning 78 countries, DP World is creating an innovative, resilient and seamless supply chain, and integrating its businesses – Ports and Terminals, Marine Services, Logistics and Technology – and uniting its global infrastructure with local expertise.