After a successful trial, ONE and Freightliner have adopted HVO fuel for rail cargo in the UK. Ocean Network Express (ONE) UK has been working with rail freight operator Freightliner to find viable alternatives to diesel fuel. For the past six months, they have been working to field test the substitution of diesel with a renewable fuel source, HVO, or Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil.
The partnership between ONE and Freightliner has announced the adoption of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO100) fuel to power all their rail cargo journeys in the UK. This decision follows their successful six-month pilot project demonstrating the fuel’s efficiency and environmental benefits.
Collaborating on an environmental initiative
“ONE UK, in partnership with Freightliner, is pleased to continue the transportation of our cargo inland using rail powered by HVO100,” said Nick Reay, Head of Operations for ONE UK. “Over our successful six-month pilot period, we calculated that 488 tonnes of CO2 emissions were saved by switching to this renewable fuel.”
Reay went on to thank Freightliner for collaborating with the environmental initiative. He says it’s part of a move to make ONE a greener and more sustainable supply chain. “ONE continues to find innovative ways to achieve our goal of net zero by 2050,” he said.
Optional carbon reduction certificate
At Freightliner, we are committed to proactively reducing our environmental impact and being a net zero business,” said Clive Slayford, Commercial Director – Intermodal Logistics at Freightliner. “Throughout our long-standing partnership, we have demonstrated our commitment to offering customers a greener alternative using HVO fuel, which [radically] reduces carbon emissions compared to diesel and road alternatives.”
ONE and Freightliner have worked together since 2018 and recently announced a new five-year contract, providing a rail-based intermodal connection between London Gateway and the Port of Southampton. ONE says their customers can opt to purchase a carbon reduction certificate, acknowledging their efforts to lower their carbon footprint.
Significant investment from both partners
Freightliner remains the UK’s largest maritime intermodal logistics operator, transporting containers from all major deep-sea ports to a national network of inland terminals. Ocean Network Express (Europe) Ltd is a subsidiary of Ocean Network Express (ONE), headquartered in Singapore.
HVO100 is a fully renewable fuel made from raw materials like vegetable oils, waste-based fats, and oils from the food industry. Just because it may come from a deep fat fryer doesn’t make it as cheap as chips. It has taken a significant investment from both partners to reach this acceptance into commercial deployment. ONE and Freightliner say switching to HVO can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 90 per cent when used as an alternative to conventional diesel, typically used in freight trains.