Correos celebrates ‘Green Postal Day’ and assures that it will work so that 50% of its total fleet is made up of alternative fuel vehicles by 2030.
In this edition, which this year coincides with Global Zero Emissions Day, a total of 22 postal operators from around the world have participated, achieving a historical record of attendance, as Correos has reported in a press release.
As key players in the transport and logistics sector, these postal operators have had to make investments to renew their fleet and add vehicles based on alternative technologies with the aim of reducing the environmental impact of a network that, in 2022, operated with close to 639,000 vehicles.
In the case of Correos, the company has stated that it will continue working to collectively advance the achievement of the joint objectives of the global postal sector and has recalled that by the end of 2023 it will have more than 2,800 ecological vehicles (2,506 electric vehicles and 310 hybrid vans or ECO).
On the other hand, the Spanish company has achieved that, currently, 95% of its new land transport routes are ECO, by introducing the sustainability criterion in the tenders for the external contracting of medium and long distance routes and giving priority to offers that provide the use of trailers, trucks and vans with the ECO label.
In addition, it has achieved that 100% of the energy supplied to its buildings is of renewable origin. And it has also launched a circular economy action plan to advance its goal of being “zero waste” by 2030.
Likewise, Correos offers on its commercial website the possibility of choosing the ‘responsible shipments’ option, with which it aims to make society reflect on the urgency of its shipment. Thus, “with a more intelligent and responsible use of the parcel service”, it is possible to optimize the routes of the different means of transport, especially those dedicated to the last mile, where the company is using sustainable vehicles to minimize the impact on the environment.
On the other hand, Correos has the ‘Forest Line’, a range of sustainable packaging, designed to reduce the use of inks, use 100% recycled, compostable and biodegradable cardboard, and to only use materials with a sustainable management certificate. Likewise, the company has explained that it offsets the emissions associated with these packaging and allocates part of its sales to reforestation, fire prevention and biodiversity preservation projects.
Last mile delivery has long been a priority for postal companies to reduce carbon emissions. However, the focus is currently shifting towards long-distance transportation and self-production of electricity, according to the statement.
Between 2021 and 2022, postal operators “more than” doubled the proportion of alternative fuel vehicles from 12% to 26% and electric vehicles now represent 20% of the postal fleet.
Another priority for companies in the sector is the decarbonization of long-distance transportation. To achieve this, they are betting on new technologies, such as those applied to the last mile – designed to meet the different needs of long-distance transportation operations – or those that facilitate high-power electric charging.
Along these lines, postal operators have focused on hydrogen as a viable fuel alternative. They have therefore called for the deployment of alternative fuel options and charging facilities to be accelerated to support the development of viable low-emission long-distance transportation alternatives.
In addition, they are promoting greater innovation in the search for alternative technologies in air freight transport.
Finally, postal operators are making efforts to save energy and reduce their dependence on fossil energy. Thus, in 2022, 38% of the electricity used by postal operators for their facilities came from renewable sources.
Eight of the international postal operators participating in the SMMS (Sustainability Measurement and Management System) program coordinated by IPC used 100% renewable electricity in 2022 and another six obtained more than 90% from renewable sources.
In addition, postal operators aim to produce their own energy to power their electric fleet with the idea of being energy self-sufficient.
2023-09-22 11:28:18
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