Komatsu and DHL Express to trial sustainable fuel for airfreight

As part of its ambitious plan to slash its carbon footprint by 50 per cent by 2050, Komatsu Australia has committed to utilising sustainable aviation fuel to reduce the emissions related to the company’s air express shipments in Australia in 2024.

Komatsu Australia has committed to investing one million dollars in logistic partner DHL Express’ GoGreen Plus program that will see the company’s products shipped using Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).

The SAF is produced from waste oils to provide greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions of up to 80 per cent over its lifecycle compared with the conventional jet fuel it replaces, according to DHL Express.

The impact of the investment will be announced at the end of the year and audited by an external auditor.

DHL Express Australia and Papua New Guinea Managing Director, Phil Corcoran, said GoGreen Plus is one of the most effective ways companies can choose to reduce their carbon emissions for their international shipments.

“GoGreen Plus allows companies like Komatsu to track their progress toward their sustainability goals, backed by science-based, verified and certified reporting on their carbon reduction insets.”

Komatsu Australia General Manager of Safety and Sustainability, Henrietta Jukes, said the trial is just one of many programs the company has signed up for to reduce its GHG emissions.

“We are very excited to be one of the first customers to purchase SAF, but it’s important to note that by undertaking this trial we are not shifting focus from what we were already doing, but expanding our focus,” she said.

“We have 27 major sustainability projects that we are working on right now and we will be considering all of them in terms of how well they help us to support our customers to achieve emissions reductions, so we can decide where to make future investments.

“Logistics and transportation is one important area where we can make a difference. Others include the work we are doing to make our machines more efficient, through telemetry that lets customers monitor machine movements and fuel loads and make instant changes.”

She added Komatsu Australia is currently doing some detailed modelling to thoroughly understand the emissions impacts of its machine models in specific applications, across both construction and mining.

“This will give us really valuable and important insights to relay back to our customers,” she said.

“While we are working on reducing our Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions we are also turning our attention to Scope 4, which is avoided emissions. There is a lot happening in this space.”

The GoGreen project with DHL Express has come off the back of more than six months of work. Komatsu is also engaging DHL Express to find other ways to improve sustainability outcomes, from direct shipping to customers, to batch and consolidated shipping options and route optimisation.

Komatsu Australia’s Supply Chain Executive General Manager, Russell Hodson, said the business is working closely with its strategic suppliers on opportunities to collectively reduce emissions. 

“We are working with DHL and other partners who are equally passionate to make the world a better place,” he said.

“Together we are focused on providing solutions that will support our mining, construction and quarry customers to reduce their emissions profiles. Our aim is to leverage our connections to support positive outcomes for the planet.”