Fashion industry promotes green shipping

Retailers ship huge volumes of clothing from manufacturing hubs in countries like China, Vietnam and Bangladesh to consumers around the world , causing carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) emissions.

Containers on Maersk's giant Triple-E Majestic Maersk, one of the world's largest container ships, next to cranes at the APM terminal in the port of Algeciras, Spain, on January 20.

Overall, the textile industry is estimated to emit between 2 and 8 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, according to a United Nations Environment Program report released last month.

The shipping industry, with a goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050, has begun to offer low-emission fuels such as biofuels made from cooking oil and food waste or methanol produced from renewable energy as an alternative to fuel oil.

Shipping giant Maersk Group (MAERSKb.CO) said the fashion industry accounted for 26% of the more than 240,000 containers Maersk shipped last year using biofuel under its ECO Delivery contract, making it the largest user of the low-emission fuel service.

“A lot of fashion brands have actually done this,” Josue Alzamora, global head of lifestyle at Maersk, told Reuters at the Global Fashion Summit in Copenhagen.

Fashion companies are also feeling the pressure from consumers, Alzamora said. Nearly one in 10 containers handled by Maersk, the world’s number two container shipping company, for fashion brand owners was shipped using biofuel last year. ECO shipping contracts are sold at a premium to conventional shipping.

Promote methanol​​

Many fashion brands and other retailers are looking at how they can respond to environmental concerns raised by their often young and relatively affluent customer base about companies committing to cutting emissions and reducing their climate impact.

H&M, the world’s second-largest fashion retailer, said in 2022 that it had purchased eco-fuel for a significant portion of its ocean freight for the past two years. It also announced its ambition to become a climate-positive brand by 2040.

“H&M is one of the first companies to join us on our journey to find biofuels,” says Alzamora.

Retail giants including Amazon (AMZN.O) and IKEA have pledged to switch entirely to zero-carbon transport by 2040.

Biofuels can reduce emissions in container shipping by more than 80% compared to standard fuel oil. However, biofuel-powered vessels accounted for only about 2% of Maersk’s total ocean freight volume last year.

Interest is also growing in methanol as an alternative fuel, with Maersk ordering 25 such vessels with the first deliveries due in September.

In total, shipping companies have ordered more than 100 vessels that can operate on both fuel oil and methanol, according to Maersk. However, sourcing greener fuels like methanol remains a challenge as the industry is still in its infancy.

“The fashion industry is helping us change direction to produce more methanol,” said Alzamora, pointing to the industry’s need for alternatives as it is one of the largest container shipping sectors.

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