Crowley has reported a jump in carbon emissions across its shipping, logistics and fuels divisions in 2021 as the outfit works toward a goal of net zero by the middle of the century.
But while the US maritime conglomerate was not alone in seeing its greenhouse gas footprint rise last year, it was a rare shipping industry player that revealed indirect emissions known as Scope 3.
In its inaugural sustainability report, the Jacksonville-based company reported more than 437,000 tonnes of combined Scope 1 and Scope 2 CO2 emissions last year, a 9.8% jump on the roughly 398,000 tonnes its operations pumped out a year earlier.
Scope 1 emissions cover the carbon from the company’s own assets, while Scope 2 covers the indirect emissions associated with the energy it purchases.
Crowley’s Scope 3 emissions, which measure the emissions of assets and services contracted by the company, rose 3.8% to 3.44m tonnes.
That brings the grand total to 3.88m tonnes, a rise from 3.72m tonnes across all three scopes in 2020.
“By quantifying Crowley’s contribution to global GHGs, we can better manage material risks, identify reduction opportunities, spark innovation, and become more competitive,” the company said.
Crowley is targeting net zero GHG emissions by 2050, a goal that includes all its indirect emissions, including Scope 3.
“While shipping is the most efficient means of transport, we are committed to making it better,” the Thomas Crowley-led outfit said.
The company, whose operations include container and tanker shipping, believes it needs to cut overall emissions by 3.7m tonnes per year to achieve that goal.
