The Book & Claim system
Big news from the world of emission accounting and reporting for the transport and logistics sector. Smart Freight Centre (SFC), the international leading organization focused on reducing greenhouse gas emission from freight transportation, has just released a new framework that will overturn the way in which today we match demand for low-emission fuels with supply.
To date, the solely way to demonstrate the usage of sustainable fuels in the road transport sector was through the physical supply into truck’s tank, with enormous difficulties from placing the right quantities where needed and the high risk of fuel shortage.
The Book and Claim system, this is the name of the new methodology, overcome the concept that bound the physical usage of a sustainable fuels (book) along predefined routes and recognize the value of using low emission fuels anywhere by the transport company, but claiming according with the demand.
Book and Claim has long been used in the aviation and shipping sector for flexible allocation of low emission fuels quotas to interested customers by issuing emission certificates. This methodology, however, had not received any international recognition so far, and there were no accounting tool to manage the fuel allocation between providers and customers.
With this new released framework, SFC finally filled the gap, providing a well-established methodology that will revolutionize the way we do sustainable logistics. The work carried out by the international organization has been now more than ever an important milestone in gaining broader acceptance of the international standards for accounting and reporting emissions and is in continuity with the commitments for drafting the new ISO 14083.
“This approach can play a major role in accelerating the deployment of biofuels, like BioLNG, HVO e zero emissions vehicles such as electric or hydrogen enabling us to bring sustainable solutions where it was not possible so far.” says Andrea Condotta, Public Affairs, Innovation & Sustainability Director at Gruber Logistics
Gruber Logistics, has always been at the forefront when it comes to investing in sustainable fuels since 2019 when the first LNG trucks able to run with BioLNG were introduced in its own fleet and today the company takes another steps toward reducing road transport emissions, introducing the Book and Claim solution to make easier implementing low emission fuels in the customer supply chain.
“We created a chain of custody system to fully track fuel life cycle covering production and distribution up to refueling of our trucks, guaranteeing to our customer a net reduction in the carbon footprint.”, explained Ettore Gualandi, technical expert at Gruber Logistics
The methodology is not, however, free of potential risk of double counting and fake declarations by transport and logistics companies with the real risk of undermining the reliability of the system.
This is way we, at Gruber Logistics, strengthened the credibility of the system by standing up on a secure, transparent and digitalized register to track consumption and proof of sustainability where Gruber Logistics act as unique actors for purchasing the fuel used in company trucks. On the other hands, the well-recognised Global Logistics Emission Council Framework by the SFC is used to calculate and report emissions, guarantee the consistency with the highest international standards for GHG Reporting.
Book and Claim is already available to our customers and we are proud to be one of the first carriers in Europe for ensuring direct booking and claiming of low emissions fuels for road transport.
