DP World has launched a carbon insetting scheme at its Southampton container terminal that allows customers to claim a share of emissions reductions generated at the port within their supply chain reporting. The scheme applies to qualifying cargo from 1 April 2026 and allocates verified emissions savings linked to port operations.
The programme uses Container Terminal Inset Certificates, which are created from emissions reductions achieved through measures at the port, including the use of hydrotreated vegetable oil, electrification of equipment and on-site renewable energy generation. Each qualifying container movement is assigned a share of emissions savings set at 250kg of CO2e.
The certificates will be automatically applied to eligible cargo and supported by independently verified documentation for use in sustainability disclosures. Verification is carried out by third parties, which includes Bureau Veritas, and the scheme is operated in partnership with 123Carbon who provide the registry platform.
John Trenchard, DP World’s vice president of sustainable international supply chains, Europe, said: ‘At DP World, we believe decarbonising global supply chains requires practical solutions that deliver measurable impact today. This scheme will turn real emissions reductions at Southampton into verified savings our customers can count towards their Scope 3 targets.’
The Southampton scheme is part of DP World’s wider Carbon Inset Programme launched in January 2025 across its UK operations. The company said the programme has registered more than 250,000 TEU of cargo and issued over 9,000 tonnes of CO2e savings in its first year. Initially introduced as a 12-month trial, the scheme has been extended until 31 December 2026.
Funding for the UK scheme is provided through an Energy Transition Contribution applied to import containers handled at DP World’s UK terminals. This enables emissions reductions across vessel activity, tug operations and terminal handling and allocates the resultant savings to customers through the inset certificates.
Jeroen van Heiningen, CEO of 123Carbon, commented: ‘This project is a landmark milestone, as it represents a new standard on how carbon reductions realised in port operations can be shared with owners. The development of such a standard together with industry leaders as DP World is necessary to ensure companies can safely and securely reduce transport-related emissions from origin to destination, regardless of transport type and including container handling at ports.’
