Focus on sustainability projects at Rhenus

As part of the online conference programme at this year's transport logistic, Isa Kohn, Project Lead Green Logistics at Rhenus, presented various sustainability projects of the Rhenus Group at the BVL panel on "CO2 savings in logistics - an impossibility?". 

Among the projects presented was the Warehousing Solutions warehouse in Tilburg. The building was nominated for the BREEAM Award in 2019 as one of the most sustainable industrial buildings in the world and received the "National Steel Award" for building design in 2020. In addition, the operation of the site is CO2-neutral, as the building is powered purely by 13,000 solar panels on the roof. The electricity generated supplies an additional 750 households per year. Triple-glazed windows, heat pumps, highly insulated facades and roof as well as sanitary facilities with rainwater utilisation ensure a sustainable supply. Beyond the sustainability aspect, during the development of the building, emphasis was placed on the landscape architecture around the warehouse as well as recreational areas for the employees.

From the air freight sector, Isa Kohn presented the RHEGREEN programme, which provides Rhenus customers with a free service for selecting more fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly aircraft types for their air freight shipments. The calculation system enables reductions of 10 to 40 percent in CO2 emissions.

Rhenus also pays great attention to road transport in terms of sustainability, Isa Kohn emphasised. In addition to Germany's largest heavy-duty e-truck fleet, Rhenus is also running other projects for overhead line and LNG trucks. Sascha H?hnke also provides an overview of these in the Rhenus podcast Logistics People Talk.

In the area of ship and port logistics, Isa Kohn highlighted the MS Duisburg. The inland waterway vessel is equipped with a twin-screw propulsion system so that the so-called father-son engines drive the ship upstream or downstream depending on the power requirements. The flow-optimised stern also allows the thrust to reach the water almost without loss and reduces fuel consumption. An Eco-Shortsea fleet is also currently under construction, consisting of four environmentally friendly ships. Other port equipment such as hybrid reach stackers and an all-electric mobile port crane in Rotterdam round off the Rhenus portfolio.

"Basically, as Rhenus we are completely open to technology and start testing as a pioneer when we are ready - we don't wait until everything has matured into detail," Isa Kohn explained the sustainability strategy of the Rhenus Group, "As a family business, sustainability is all the more important to us in terms of future generations and therefore also in terms of the environment. We think that everyone will benefit from this - our customers, partners and our employees."

THINKING ABOUT TOMORROW, TODAY

Sustainability Projects at Rhenus