Shipping carbon emissions FAQs
The carbon emissions generated from container shipping depend on a variety of factors including the distance travelled, the weight of goods being shipped and the characteristics of the vessel being used to transport the freight.
Given the factors outlined above, it would be inappropriate to provide a single number. Statista reports that 16.12g of carbon is emitted per metric tonne of freight per kilometre traveled.
Having a standardised emissions calculation methodology is essential to measuring and reporting on supply chain emissions. If you're pulling emissions data from different places, chances are you're doing an 'apples to oranges' comparison. Supply chain visibility platforms like Beacon bring all your freight tracking data into one place so you can take a consistent approach to calculating emissions and track progress over time.