DP World has bunkered what it says is the first harbour tug at London Gateway to run on 100% hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel, as part of a collaboration with towage operator Svitzer.

The tug, operated by Svitzer Thames — which handles container ships at the port — has transitioned from conventional marine diesel to HVO, a fuel that DP World claims can reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 700 metric tonnes annually while also improving local air quality.

The move forms part of DP World's broader Carbon Inset Programme (CIP), a scheme designed to help cargo owners reduce and account for emissions within their own supply chains rather than through external offsetting projects such as reforestation or mangrove planting.

The programme, which launched in January 2025, has now registered more than 250,000 TEUs worth of cargo since the certificates available through the scheme were increased five-fold — from 50 kg to 250 kg of CO₂e per container for importers.

DP World UK is now extending the programme to exporters. From 1 July 2026, qualifying exporters registered to the CIP will be eligible to earn 13 kg CO₂e worth of container terminal inset certificates (CTICs) for every export-laden container moved through DP World London Gateway or DP World Southampton, provided the associated export customs declarations are submitted via Community Network Services (CNS). The allocation will be provided at no additional cost and is limited to a maximum of 10 tonnes CO₂e worth of CTICs per exporter, available until 31 December 2026.

According to DP World, the import carbon inset certificates address more than 90% of the emissions associated with a full port call of container ships during their final approach — the “last nautical mile” — at London Gateway or Southampton, covering tug and pilot boat emissions as well as terminal operations. The export certificates address 13 kg CO₂e of emissions associated with terminal operations, compared with standard default emission factors of 11.4 kg CO₂e per container per terminal.

Certificates generated via Unifeeder are tracked through its GreenBox platform, while Svitzer and DP World Southampton use the 123Carbon platform. Both platforms record the deployment of lower-carbon fuels and operations to generate tokens for each tonne of CO₂ saved. These tokens are independently managed in line with the Smart Freight Centre's methodology and are certified by Bureau Veritas for Unifeeder and DP World Southampton, and by Verifavia for Svitzer.

Customers already enrolled in the CIP will be automatically enrolled for the new export certificates unless they opt out, with funding for the programme coming through the company's Energy Transition Contribution.

The CIP sits within DP World's wider effort to cut emissions across its operations, which also includes investment in all-electric equipment and modal shift initiatives in the UK. Globally, DP World has committed to reducing absolute emissions by 42% by 2030.