An end-to-end solution: How Maersk and ICA are reducing greenhouse gas emissions through smart supply chain management

A decade in the making, Maersk’s ongoing relationship with ICA proves the powerful role that partnership plays in streamlining supply chains and decarbonising logistics.

More than a century later that spirit of cooperation continues to guide ICA. It’s also the driving force behind their evolving relationship with Maersk, a powerful partnership that’s bringing benefits across the supply chain.

As a result, the relationship flourished. Stability, reliability and trust formed the foundations of a partnership that helped ICA to navigate COVID-19. So, when the time came for the company to look towards new horizons, they turned to Maersk for help.

ICA didn't just want to grow its market share, it wanted to improve efficiencies across the entirety of its supply chain. At the same time, the company has ambitious goals to reduce its climate impact, pledging to achieve net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. That’s where Maersk comes in. Maersk has set its sights on achieving net zero GHG emissions across its operations by 2040, taking steps in not only reducing our own climate impact, but that of our partners too.

Data is a key driver. Maersk and ICA share electronic data between their systems, which means that real-time information can be shared across the supply chain. Armed with this insight, ICA and Maersk work together to ensure that everything runs smoothly and that efficiencies are created whenever possible.

A good example of this is Maersk’s Less-than-Container Load (LCL): a solution that allows the customer to only pay for the container capacity that it needs. ICA employs this tool for around 400 cubic meters annually, enabling them to speed up shipments, reduce unnecessary costs and introduce valuable agility into its supply chain.

Closer to home this powerful partnership is just as valuable. As well as shipping and customs services, Maersk is responsible for warehousing ICA’s stock when products reach its final destination in Gothenburg. By combining data-driven management with warehousing, we’ve created an end-to-end solution that gives the company unparalleled insight at every stage of the supply chain.

The benefits for ICA are clear. Greater control, insight and agility are vital to their ongoing success. But more impressive still are the possibilities for reducing GHG emissions that this approach has delivered.

Utilising Maersk’s ECO Delivery offering, ICA has been able to begin to decarbonise its ocean logistics. With ECO Delivery, fossil fuels are replaced with energy from reduced GHG emission fuels* within Maersk’s ocean transport network, and then allocated to ICA’s shipments. 80 percent of ICA’s inventory is currently shipped using ECO Delivery, with plans to expand this during 2024.

Additionally, ICA and Maersk have been able to employ electric-powered vehicles from the cargo’s point of arrival at port to its warehouse outside Gothenburg. Transporting 1,300 containers every year, there are plans to expand this inland cargo network, also by employing rail routes to further reduce GHG emissions.  

In 2024 the company is set up to save more than 3,500 tonnes of CO2e** thanks to the decarbonisation-focused solutions with Maersk. It’s an incredible achievement, one that proves the powerful role that partnership can play.

*Maersk defines reduced / lower GHG emissions fuels as fuels with at least 65% reductions in GHG emissions on a lifecycle basis compared to fossil of 94 g CO2e/MJ

**Carbon emissions savings calculations are based on Round Table for Sustain­able green fuels (RSB) methodology and are independently audited accord­ing to ISAE 3410 – Assurance Engagements on Greenhouse Gas Statements. The CO2 emissions for transporting containers are calculated based on the Clean Cargo methodology.