Railroad shipping/Green logistics: CSX rolls out emissions reduction plan
Jeff Berman, Group News Editor -- Logistics Management, 6/30/2009
JACKSONVILLE, Fla.—Class I railroad carrier CSX said this week it plans to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from train operations by 8 percent by revenue ton mile by 2011.
CSX officials said that this effort is part of the EPA’s Climate Leaders Program, and CSX is the first transportation services provider to participate in this program. Through this initiative, CSX said it will reduce CO2 emissions by 2.4 million tons—the equivalent of removing 441,000 cars from the road per year—or burning 5,598,000 fewer barrels of oil.
And since 1980, CSX said the railroad industry has invested more than $1 billion to upgrade its fleet with more efficient Tier II clean air locomotives, augmenting locomotive fuel efficiency by more than 80 percent. The Class I carrier also noted that by the end of this year 1,200 CSX locomotives will be upgraded to reduce emissions and lower fuel consumption by about 10 million gallons.
“Freight rail is the most fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly surface transportation option,” said Michael J. Ward, Chairman, President and CEO of CSX, in a statement. “We are pleased to enhance these benefits with our firm commitment to reduce CSX's carbon footprint. The Climate Leaders Partnership shows that by working together, business and government can serve our nation's economic needs while improving our environment."
The benefits of environmentally-conscious freight railroads were echoed by an industry analyst.
“There are benefits to railroads doing things like this from a green and corporate citizen perspective,” said Anthony B. Hatch, principal of New York-based ABH Consulting. “It is clear shippers are taking advantage of rails being more fuel efficient than trucks, as well as a good way for railroad carriers to accelerate their market share recovery…with shippers explaining how they can reduce carbon footprint by rail usage.”
This week’s news is not CSX’s first foray into emissions reductions by any stretch. In February 2008, it rolled out an online—or carbon—calculator that provides shippers with the opportunity to make the optimal environmental decision when it comes to transportation options.
It does this, says CSX, by calculating carbon dioxide emissions savings of specific rail shipments and offering up comparative data among transportation choices. To use the Carbon Calculator, shippers submit the weight of their shipment and miles shipped, and the calculator replies with the estimated CO2 savings provided by CSX.
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