Syngenta signs up for Maersk’s ECO Delivery

Syngenta Crop Protection, a global agricultural science firm specializing in crop protection, has entered into a deal with Danish container shipping major Maersk to decarbonise its logistics operations.

Under the deal, Syngenta has signed up for Maersk’s ECO Delivery solution. This means Syngenta will transport its containers onboard Maersk’s ships burning certified biofuel on the Europe-US shipping route in 2024.

Biofuels have emerged as an interesting alternative to fossil fuels as they emit less greenhouse gas emissions when burnt on vessels.

“Our partnership with Maersk is based on a common commitment towards sustainable logistics,” said Mike Hollands, Head of Global Supply at Syngenta Crop Protection. “We’ve been energized by our collaboration in ECO Delivery and other carbon emission reduction solutions, and are pleased to move closer together towards eventual zero carbon shipping for a more sustainable future.”

Maersk and Syngenta have also collaborated on an Emission Dashboard creation, a digital innovation for GHG emissions reporting and data analytics.

“If we are to significantly reduce emissions, we need to look for opportunities across our supply chains and beyond,” Hollands noted.

Maersk is Syngenta’s largest fourth-party logistics provider, managing the resources, technology and infrastructure of other third-party logistics providers.

“We are delighted that Syngenta has selected our ECO Delivery Ocean solution as well as our Emission Dashboard to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions in a structured way,” says Kaisa Helena Tikk, Head of Commercial Sustainability at Maersk. “These close collaborations with our customers are essential to drive the decarbonization of logistics which we can achieve only together.”

Syngenta is also focusing on the reduction of its Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. In February, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognized Syngenta’s manufacturing facility in St. Gabriel, Louisiana, as one of the top 100 users of green power in the country.

Maersk has set ambitious decarbonization targets as well as it plans to become a net zero company by 2040. At the heart of the company’s decarbonization efforts is the adoption of alternative fuels, including biofuel and methanol. The company has ordered 25 methanol-powered containerships, and two of these have already been delivered.