Carbon emissions from ocean freight container ships sailing from the Far East to the Mediterranean jumped by 63 percent in the first quarter of this year, compared with the same period last year, as vessels avoided the Red Sea because of attacks by Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen, new figures show.
The figures for ships sailing from the Far East to North Europe were up 23% for the same period, according to the Xeneta and Marine Benchmark Carbon Emissions Index, which measures carbon emissions per ton of cargo transported across the world’s top 13 trades, the American Journal of Transportation reported Tuesday.
According to Emily Stausbøll, Xeneta Market Analyst, containers journeying from the Far East to the Mediterranean sailed an average of 9,400 nautical miles in the last quarter of 2023. During the first quarter of this year, they added an extra 5,800 nautical miles to divert around the Cape of Good Hope in Africa. More fuel was being burned on the extra mileage, and on sailing at higher speeds to make up for the longer distances, she added.
Air transportation has also grown as an alternative mode of delivery, the data showed, with cargo leaving from Dubai Airport to European destinations up by 190% in March compared to the same month in 2023.
“Not only is air freight more expensive than ocean freight, it is also far less sustainable,” Stausbøll said, “so this shift to hybrid sea-air services via the Middle East will result in increased carbon emissions per ton of cargo transported.”
She continued, “Shippers are also now again using rail services through Russia to transport goods from the Far East to Europe, which similarly to air freight, is more carbon intensive than ocean freight shipping.”
Adding to the shipping costs will be the European Union’s phased extension of its Emissions Trading System to include carbon emissions from large ships (of 5,000 gross tonnage and above) entering EU ports, regardless of the flag they fly. This began in January.
In other climate news, this year’s annual international Earth Day coincided in Israel with Passover Eve. The global theme of “Planet vs. Plastics” will be reflected on Friday in a beach clean-up in central Israel led by the marine environmental organization, EcoOcean, together with the EcoLove and Organic Zone brands, and the Emek Hefer Regional Council. The event, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (the cleanup starts at 11 a.m.), will be held at the Manao Neurim beach and will include music, environmental activities for the family, stalls and more.
