SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT characteristics, safety requirements and regulatory frameworks limit how far routes or modes can be adjusted. Even so, there is usually some room to optimise.
This might involve relatively small changes- consolidating shipments, adjusting routing, or shifting between transport modes where feasible. None of these are new ideas, but they take on greater importance when they are supported by consistent emissions data.
In practice, this can be as straightforward as adjusting a transport route to reduce empty mileage or introducing lower-emission fuels such as HVO within existing fleets, where infrastructure for full electrification is not yet viable.
Incremental change
A lot of the progress being made across the sector is incremental. There are examples of larger shifts. Electrified transport corridors are starting to emerge on high-frequency routes, particularly in parts of Europe where infrastructure and demand are aligned.
At the same time, alternative fuels such as hydrotreated vegetable oil( HVO) and biodiesel are being introduced into existing fleets. These tend to offer more immediate reductions without requiring fundamental changes to infrastructure.
Neither approach is sufficient on its own, however. Electrification and hydrogen technologies are still developing and not yet applicable across all routes. Alternative fuels, while more scalable in the short term, come with their own limitations.
The result is a mixed approach. Different solutions are applied where they make sense, rather than a single technology being rolled out across the board.
Looking beyond transport
Transport is only part of the emissions profile in chemical logistics. Warehousing and site operations also play a role, particularly in terms of energy use. Here, progress tends to be less visible but still material.
For example, Rhenus has introduced measures aimed at reducing energy consumption across some of its UK sites. These include on-site solar generation, the transition to electric handling equipment and targeted efficiency improvements such as automated lighting systems.
Taken together, they contribute to a broader reduction in operational emissions. This is also visible in newer facilities, including Rhenus’ site in Nuneaton, where energy-efficiency and on-site renewable energy form part of the overall design.
They also highlight a wider point. Sustainability improvements are often tied to efficiency and reducing energy use or streamlining processes tends to have both environmental and operational benefits.
Governance as a stabilising factor
One of the less visible aspects of sustainability in logistics is governance. Chemical supply chains already operate within a strict regulatory framework. Safety, documentation and compliance are embedded in day-to-day operations. Sustainability is gradually being integrated into that same structure.
This is where consistency becomes important. Applying common standards across different regions and modes of transport allows sustainability to be managed in a similar way to other compliance requirements. It also makes it easier to scale improvements. Once a process is established in one part of the network, it can be extended elsewhere without needing to be redesigned.
Balancing expectation & reality
There is a growing expectation that logistics providers will play a central role in reducing supply chain emissions. That expectation is justified, but it needs to be balanced with the realities of the sector.
Chemical logistics are constrained by safety requirements, infrastructure limitations and the availability of
alternative technologies. Progress is therefore unlikely to be linear, and some areas will move faster than others. Certain routes or modes will offer more opportunity for change than others.
What matters most is maintaining momentum. That often comes from a combination of better data, incremental operational improvements and a clear framework for measuring progress.
From intention to accountability
Sustainability in chemical logistics is becoming more accountable. Targets are more clearly defined, data is more detailed and expectations around transparency continue to increase. For logistics providers, this shifts the focus firmly onto delivery, ensuring that sustainability is reflected in how supply chains are run, not just how they are described.
Progress will not come from a single solution. It will come from consistent, measurable improvements across transport, warehousing and data. For the chemicals sector, the direction is clear: sustainability is no longer a parallel objective, but part of how supply chains are expected to perform. ●
J j
Marion Simpson
MANAGING DIRECTOR, ROAD UK
RHENUS GROUP nlws. info @ rhenus. com www. rhenus. com
JUL / AUG 2026 SPECCHEMONLINE. COM
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