How our partnership with Van Osta reduces emissions from international deliveries
Spring GDS is dramatically cutting CO2 emissions by using the biofuel HVO100
Spring GDS is always exploring ways to be more sustainable. We choose the most efficient routes to cut unnecessary mileage, operate electric vehicles where available and use less polluting fuels for short journeys.
We are committed to the maximum reduction of our carbon footprint and helping you make the final leg of your supply chain more eco-friendly.
While this helps keep our emissions from short journeys as low as possible, how can we achieve the same for long-distance international journeys? With the support of our partner Van Osta, we are transitioning from fossil fuels to the more sustainable biofuel HVO100.
Spring GDS chain experts Jos Gerritsen and Eildert Panman and our strategic developer Abbi Swindin provide the details of this project, and how it paves the way for greener operations across the logistics sector.
Our partnership with Van Osta
Van Osta is a logistics provider that has been working with Spring GDS to introduce biofuel into our international transport network. Since the 1st of January 2023, Van Osta has driven to Germany, Switzerland and France for us with HVO100 in their fuel tanks instead of fossil fuels.
Jos explains: “Van Osta is the ideal partner: we’ve been working together for 36 years, they have their own filling station, and they handle our reverse logistics process (return lanes) for us. That means their journeys begin and end in The Hague and in the same lorries, allowing us to monitor mileage and fuel consumption very precisely.”
The impact of HVO100
Abbi explains: “HVO100 is made from vegetable oils and residue products such as used cooking oil, and can cut carbon emissions on these routes by up to 90%.” HVO100 was introduced to the Spring GDS European road network in January 2023 and saved 67 tonnes of CO2 on journeys made in that month alone.
HVO100 is currently the leading fuel for significant carbon reduction on long-distance journeys. Eildert says: “We take post and parcels to destinations all over the world. The challenge is to do so sustainably. You want to fly as little as possible, the distances are too great for electric vehicles and a solution using hydrogen is still a long way off. HVO100 is currently the only realistic renewable option for long distances.”
Jos adds: “For a long time, we had aimed to introduce sustainability measures for long hauls, but the transport industry wasn’t yet ready for it. Clear evidence of the benefits was key to making it happen.” Jos points out another extraordinary benefit of HVO100, which is that you can use it to fuel unmodified engines. “Van Osta can therefore continue operating their existing fleet. In that respect, it is a truly sustainable option.”
Going global with sustainability action
Increasing sustainability means being a pioneer. This not only requires a customised approach; you also need great partnerships and robust international collaborations.
Jos explains: “We are also in talks with other partners about running international routes on HVO100.” The biofuel currently presents a challenge in that we are still a long way from it being available at filling stations everywhere. It is for this reason that HVO100 is not being used universally yet. Eildert adds: “While we are still in the transition phase, HVO100 and other renewable fuels will become the norm in a few years.”
Abbi emphasizes: “Spring GDS aims for sustainable deliveries from door to door. We’ve made great progress on short distance and last mile deliveries; now the challenge is long-distance and cross-border journeys. These are more complex, but it’s precisely in this area of the supply chain that we can make significant cuts in carbon emissions and a positive impact on sustainability. As for our current carbon emissions, we currently offset what we cannot reduce through Gold Standard+ and VCS programmes.”
Our commitment to greener deliveries
We’re tackling sustainability as we would any other challenge: by finding solutions that take the complications away from our customers.
Click here to see what else Spring GDS are doing to ensure your post and parcels are delivered in the most eco-friendly way possible.