Swire Shipping Launches ‘Voyage to Zero’ to Help Customers Cut Scope 3 Emissions Swire

Shipping has introduced Voyage to Zero, a carbon insetting programme aimed at helping freight customers reduce their Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions. The initiative enables customers to claim emissions savings generated from second-generation biofuels used across the company’s fleet, regardless of whether their cargo was transported on a specific vessel.

The programme was officially launched on 11 July 2025 at a ceremony aboard the MV Apia Chief in Suva, Fiji. The event was attended by Fiji’s Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Mosese Bulitavu.

Voyage to Zero uses a book and claim model to allocate carbon savings, based on independently verified data. Emissions reductions are calculated by comparing second-generation biofuels with traditional fossil fuels on an energy equivalent basis. Carbon insetting, unlike offsetting, allows companies to reduce emissions within their own value chain or sector.

Jeremy Sutton, Chief Executive Officer of Swire Shipping, said the programme reflects the company’s long-term commitment to supporting the maritime industry’s decarbonisation goals. “Though Pacific Island nations contribute the least to global emissions, they face some of the greatest threats from climate change. By bringing greener fuels to the South Pacific, we aim to support their vision for a sustainable and resilient future,” he said.

In April 2025, Swire Shipping transitioned three of its South Pacific-serving vessels to B24 second-generation biofuel blends. These include the Apia Chief and Tonga Chief, operating on the Pacific Weekly Express service connecting Southeast Asia to Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, and Fiji, as well as the Kokopo Chief, serving the East Timor route linking Singapore, Dili, Darwin, and Surabaya. These vessels currently refuel with B24 biofuel in Singapore. The new programme is part of Swire Shipping’s broader decarbonisation strategy and aims to provide freight customers with practical tools to reduce their environmental footprint.