MSC-Oscar-High_res Felixstowe

Global shipping line MSC has announced its new Carbon Neutral Programme aimed at providing the company’s customers with the ability to take responsibility for their emissions.

In a release, MSC highlighted its previous investment in low-carbon technology, noting it was working towards the goal of decarbonising shipping, and minimising the environmental impact of its fleet.

The programme is in partnership with South Pole, the world’s leading developer of emission reduction and renewable energy projects.

MSC said its Carbon Neutral Programme will allow its customers to accelerate their transition to a carbon neutral supply chain, taking responsibility for the cargo’s environmental impact by compensating through an offsetting programme.

It will achieve this by providing access to premium climate action projects that improve lives, livelihoods and landscapes for communities around the world.

MSC said the emission reduction projects help fight climate change and bring wider sustainable development in local communities, such as poverty reduction, health improvements and access to clean water.

Once signed up, MSC’s customers will work with a team of experts to calculate the emissions generated by the volume of cargo moved. It will then be able to select one of MSC’s emission reduction projects to compensate for the ‘unavoidable emissions of the marine and inland transportation of goods,’.

Customers will be able to offset all cargo shipments processed by MSC, or a specific volume.

South Pole will provide a ‘Verified Carbon Units Certificate of Retirement’ delivered by VCS Registry and a climate action certificate attesting the amount of CO2 compensated by investing in the programme.