The report provides data from more than 2,300 ships, representing more than 60 percent of global ocean container capacity. It suggests that while changes in carrier representation or global trade conditions may account for part of the emissions reductions, the continued performance improvement is also attributed to carrier fleet efficiency and year-on-year improvements in data quality.

The report, which includes data from 16 of the world's leading ocean container carriers, also highlights how the group has improved the measurement, evaluation, and reporting of environmental performance data for global shipping customers and ocean transport providers.

Clean Cargo Working Group is a global carrier-shipper initiative dedicated to improving the environmental performance of marine container transport. The group comprises approximately 35 member companies with an equal spread of carriers and shippers, including 18 world-liner fleet operators and 18 global shippers and freight forwarders.

"On the heels of the fifth report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, it's more important than ever that global companies make more informed choices that cut emissions through their supply chain," said Angie Farrag-Thibault, associate director, BSR Transport & Logistics Practice. "Clean Cargo's year-on-year emissions metrics provide a reliable benchmark that customers of ocean container transport can use to improve the environmental performance of their global transport supply chain."

This progress report features the group's fourth-annual release of its carbon-dioxide global emissions factors table, providing high-quality, trade-lane-specific emissions factors that companies can use to determine the carbon footprint of moving goods.

"The 2013 progress report provides a simple snapshot of the groups' current efforts and performance, and reiterates Clean Cargo's commitment for continued collaboration to reduce the environmental impact of global goods movements," said Farrag-Thibault.

The report is available, click here.

Source: BSR