At Westerman Multimodal Logistics, we have been busy with sustainability and everything that comes with it for quite some time. It is also one of our spearheads towards 2025. But what exactly are we as a company doing about sustainability and what does it show? The QHSE department answers:

Are there any programmes or activities that raise awareness and contribute to a more sustainable corporate culture?
From the board and management, a plan has been made for 2025 which includes a number of pillars within which we have set certain targets. One of these pillars is sustainable development. In this, employees are actively included with a number of projects we have devised to achieve the intended results. Some examples of these projects are: advising customers on packaging and recycling it, separating waste and encouraging commuting by bike. Some of these projects are already being worked on and some have been put away in a schedule for the next two years.

Are there any specific results or statistics that demonstrate the positive effects on the environment?
If you look at our environmental aspects register, you will quickly come to the conclusion that most gains can be made in terms of CO2 emissions from our trucks. Our aim, therefore, is to take as many cars off the road as possible through multimodal transport. We can do this by using our Barge Terminal in Hasselt to transport containers to and from Rotterdam and Antwerp, but also by using Huckepack trailers that are put on trains. We also have the ability to load and unload conventional wagons indoors in Malmö. By using multiple modes, we are more flexible and can make significant savings on CO2 emissions. To measure the impact of this, we use Big mile. This is a platform that is ISO 14083-certified and thus makes the output reliable and verifiable.

Are there any particular partnerships that have helped strengthen sustainability efforts?
Besides trying to transport multimodally, we also have a partnership with seven other logistics companies called Distri-XL. Within this network, we share shipments so that each partner has greater densification in its area. This leads to fewer kilometres and therefore fewer CO2 emissions. Another cooperation is inland shipping. We cooperate with several other terminals, so that we come into Rotterdam and Antwerp with full ships per terminal. Again, the cooperation ensures greater densification, a more stable flow of sailings and more reliable lead-times.

Are there any specific targets or milestones the company is pursuing for further sustainable development?
We recently received a Lean & Green award with 3 stars. This demonstrated that we have achieved a 35% reduction in CO2. The next target we have set is to achieve a 10% reduction in CO2 per tonne by 2025 compared to 2022.

Have any obstacles been overcome that can inspire other companies?
What we see is that many customers find sustainability important but that when we indicate what the additional costs are, there is generally less enthusiasm. It is then up to us to still convince the customer of the fact that we have the world on loan and must take care of tomorrow’s world together.

Can you share examples of recent sustainable initiatives or projects the company has undertaken?
Of course, we also have to deal with measures imposed by the government. One example that has a big impact on us is zero emission urban logistics. This will come into play from 2025 and means that we too have to look at how we can supply our customers in the inner cities. This has to be electric, with our current heavy fleet still having exemption until 2030. To enable electric transport in 2030, we are already looking at how we can get enough power at our locations to enable BEV charging.