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How to Manually Calculate CO2 Emissions for a Tradeflow

Dockflow provides built-in CO2 emissions calculation to help you measure the environmental impact of your shipments. This guide explains how to manually trigger emissions calculations and understand the results for sustainability reporting and ESG compliance.

Overview​

CO2 calculation enables you to:

  • Measure carbon footprint - Quantify emissions per shipment
  • Support sustainability goals - Track progress toward carbon reduction
  • Generate ESG reports - Provide data for environmental reporting
  • Compare shipping options - Evaluate carriers and routes by carbon efficiency
  • Meet customer requirements - Provide emissions data to customers
  • Identify opportunities - Find ways to reduce environmental impact
Why Calculate CO2 Emissions?

Understanding the carbon footprint of your shipments helps you:

  • Make more sustainable logistics decisions
  • Report Scope 3 emissions accurately
  • Meet corporate sustainability commitments
  • Respond to customer sustainability inquiries
  • Identify high-impact shipments for optimization
  • Benchmark against industry standards

Calculation Process​

Follow these five straightforward steps to calculate CO2 emissions for any tradeflow:

Step 1: Access the Dashboard​

  1. Log in to your Dockflow account
  2. Navigate to the main Dashboard
    • Usually the default landing page
    • Or click "Dashboard" in the navigation menu
  3. You'll see your list of tradeflows/shipments
Starting Point

You can also access tradeflows through:

  • Search function (search by B/L or booking number)
  • Filters (find specific shipments)
  • Direct links from email notifications
  • Bookmarked tradeflows

Step 2: Find Your Tradeflow​

Locate the specific tradeflow for which you want to calculate emissions:

Using search:

  1. Use the search bar at the top of the dashboard
  2. Enter the B/L number, booking number, or container number
  3. Click the matching result to open the tradeflow

Using filters:

  1. Click the Filters button
  2. Add relevant criteria:
    • Date range (e.g., "ETD Last 30 Days")
    • Origin/Destination
    • Carrier
    • Container number
  3. Click Apply Filters
  4. Find your tradeflow in the filtered results

Scrolling/browsing:

  1. Browse through your shipment list
  2. Use sorting (by date, destination, etc.) to help
  3. Click the tradeflow to open it
Pro Tip

If you calculate emissions frequently for certain tradeflows, bookmark them in your browser for faster access.

Step 3: Scroll to Emission Section​

  1. Once the tradeflow is open, scroll down to the bottom of the page
  2. Look for the "Emission Calculation" section
  3. This section may be labeled:
    • "Emission Calculation"
    • "CO2 Emissions"
    • "Environmental Impact"
    • "Carbon Footprint"
  4. The section typically has a green leaves icon 🌱 to indicate environmental data

Section location:

  • Usually near the bottom of the tradeflow detail page
  • May be in a separate tab labeled "Environmental" or "Sustainability"
  • Could be collapsed/expandable - look for a toggle
Can't Find the Section?

If you don't see an emission calculation section:

  1. Check if you're viewing the full tradeflow details (not just summary)
  2. Look for a "More Details" or "Expand" option
  3. Try a different browser or clear cache
  4. Verify your account has access to emission features
  5. Contact support if the section is truly missing

Step 4: Locate Emission Calculation​

Within the Emission Calculation section, you'll find:

Current emissions display (if previously calculated):

  • Total CO2 emissions in kilograms (kg CO2)
  • Distance traveled (km)
  • Calculation date/timestamp
  • Data sources used

Calculate button:

  • Labeled "Calculate Emission" or "Calculate CO2"
  • May be a button or link
  • Usually prominently displayed in green or blue
  • May show as disabled/grayed out if requirements aren't met

Step 5: Trigger Calculation​

  1. Click the "Calculate Emission" button
  2. The system processes shipment data
  3. Calculation typically takes a few seconds to 1-2 minutes
  4. Results appear in the same section

What happens during calculation:

  • System gathers shipment data (route, distance, container type)
  • Applies emission factors based on vessel type and cargo
  • Calculates total carbon output
  • Displays results in kg CO2

Results display shows:

  • Total CO2 emissions - In kilograms of CO2 equivalent
  • Distance - Total kilometers traveled (direct or actual)
  • Per-container breakdown - If multiple containers
  • Methodology - Brief explanation or data sources used
  • Calculation timestamp - When calculation was performed
Calculation Success

If calculation succeeds, you'll see:

  • Specific CO2 value (e.g., "2,450 kg CO2")
  • Distance figure (e.g., "12,450 km")
  • Green leaves icon or checkmark
  • No error messages

Data Accuracy Requirements​

CO2 calculations are most accurate when shipments have complete data.

Required Data Fields​

Essential for accurate calculation:

  1. Bill of Lading (B/L) or Bill Number

    • Primary shipment identifier
    • Links to carrier and route data
    • Required for most calculations

  2. Container Number(s)

    • Identifies container type and size
    • Affects load factor calculations
    • Multiple containers calculated together

Highly recommended:

  1. Recent tradeflow data (within 6 months)

    • Fresher data is more complete
    • Routes and carriers change over time
    • Older shipments may have incomplete tracking

  2. Complete routing information

    • Origin port
    • Destination port
    • Transshipment ports (if applicable)
    • Actual route taken (vs. planned)

  3. Container specifications

    • Container size (20', 40', 45')
    • Container type (dry, reefer, etc.)
    • Weight or cargo details (if available)
Incomplete Data Impact

Calculations with missing data may:

  • Use estimated routes instead of actual routes
  • Assume average load factors
  • Apply generic emission factors
  • Show warning messages about accuracy
  • Produce less precise results

Data Completeness Check​

Before calculating, verify your tradeflow has:

✅ B/L or booking number - Yes/No ✅ At least one container number - Yes/No ✅ Origin and destination ports - Yes/No ✅ Sailing/arrival dates - Yes/No ✅ Carrier name - Yes/No

All Yes: Calculation should be accurate Some No: Calculation possible but may use estimates Most No: Calculation may not work or be very imprecise

Understanding Calculation Results​

CO2 Emissions Value​

Format: Usually displayed in kilograms (kg CO2)

Examples:

  • Small shipment, short distance: 500-2,000 kg CO2
  • Medium shipment, medium distance: 2,000-5,000 kg CO2
  • Large shipment, long distance: 5,000-15,000+ kg CO2

Factors affecting emissions:

  • Distance - Longer routes = higher emissions
  • Container count - More containers = more emissions
  • Container type - Reefer containers have higher emissions
  • Vessel efficiency - Newer, efficient vessels have lower emissions per container
  • Route - Direct routes more efficient than multi-transshipment
  • Load factor - Fully loaded vessels more efficient per container

Interpreting the Number​

Is my CO2 number high or low?

Compare against:

Industry averages:

  • Trans-Pacific (Asia to US West Coast): ~1,000-1,500 kg CO2 per TEU
  • Asia to Europe: ~1,500-2,500 kg CO2 per TEU
  • Intra-regional: ~300-1,000 kg CO2 per TEU

Benchmarking:

  • Compare similar routes and carriers
  • Track your fleet's average
  • Measure improvement over time

Context matters:

  • Direct route vs. transshipment
  • Vessel size and age
  • Cargo weight and type
  • Seasonal efficiency variations
Converting to Other Units
  • 1,000 kg CO2 = 1 metric ton (MT or tonne) CO2
  • 1 kg CO2 ≈ 2.2 lbs CO2
  • 1 metric ton CO2 ≈ equivalent of driving ~2,500 miles in average car

Distance Traveled​

What's included:

  • Port-to-port distance (nautical miles converted to km)
  • May be "direct" (as crow flies) or "actual" (route taken)
  • Includes transshipment legs if applicable

Reading distance values:

Example: 18,500 km
- Shanghai to Rotterdam
- Via transshipment at Singapore
- Actual sailing route distance

Why distance matters:

  • Primary driver of emissions
  • Helps evaluate route efficiency
  • Enables per-kilometer emissions analysis

Per-Container Breakdown​

For shipments with multiple containers:

  • Total emissions - Sum across all containers
  • Per-container average - Total divided by container count
  • Individual container calculations - If container types differ

Example:

Shipment with 3 containers:
- Container 1 (40' dry): 1,200 kg CO2
- Container 2 (40' dry): 1,200 kg CO2
- Container 3 (40' reefer): 1,800 kg CO2
- Total: 4,200 kg CO2
- Average: 1,400 kg CO2 per container

Calculation Methodology​

How Dockflow Calculates Emissions​

Dockflow uses internationally recognized methodologies:

Data inputs:

  1. Route distance - Total kilometers sailed
  2. Vessel type and size - Affects fuel efficiency
  3. Container type and count - Determines cargo allocation
  4. Load factors - Vessel utilization rates
  5. Fuel consumption data - From carrier or industry averages

Calculation steps:

  1. Determine total voyage distance
  2. Apply vessel-specific fuel consumption rates
  3. Calculate fuel used for entire voyage
  4. Allocate fuel consumption to individual containers
  5. Convert fuel to CO2 equivalent
  6. Apply emission factors (grams CO2 per liter of fuel)
  7. Sum across all voyage legs (if transshipment)

Standards and frameworks:

  • Based on GLEC Framework (Global Logistics Emissions Council)
  • Aligned with ISO 14083 (greenhouse gas quantification)
  • Uses IMO (International Maritime Organization) emission factors
  • Incorporates Clean Cargo Working Group methodologies
Emission Factors

Standard emission factors:

  • Heavy fuel oil (HFO): ~3.114 kg CO2 per kg fuel
  • Marine diesel oil (MDO): ~3.206 kg CO2 per kg fuel
  • LNG: ~2.750 kg CO2 per kg fuel equivalent

These are applied based on vessel fuel type.

Accuracy and Limitations​

What makes calculations accurate:

  • Complete shipment data
  • Recent tracking information
  • Actual routes (not just planned)
  • Carrier-specific fuel efficiency data
  • Real load factors

What limits accuracy:

  • Missing shipment details → Uses averages
  • Old shipments → Data may be incomplete
  • Estimated routes → May differ from actual
  • Generic vessel data → If specific vessel unknown
  • Weather/speed changes → Not factored in real-time

Typical accuracy range:

  • Complete data: ±10-15% accuracy
  • Incomplete data: ±20-30% accuracy
  • Very limited data: ±30-50% accuracy
Estimation Indicators

Dockflow may show warnings or notes when calculations rely heavily on estimates. Look for:

  • "Estimated using average emission factors"
  • "Route data incomplete - using direct distance"
  • "Calculation based on limited data"

Using CO2 Data​

Sustainability Reporting​

ESG Reports:

  • Include Scope 3 emissions (transport and distribution)
  • Report total annual shipping emissions
  • Track reduction progress over time
  • Provide stakeholder transparency

Export emissions data:

  1. Calculate emissions for all shipments
  2. Export dashboard with CO2 column enabled
  3. Import into reporting tools
  4. Aggregate and analyze

Reporting standards alignment:

  • GHG Protocol (Greenhouse Gas Protocol)
  • CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project)
  • TCFD (Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures)
  • GRI (Global Reporting Initiative)

Carbon Reduction Strategies​

Use CO2 data to:

Optimize routes:

  • Compare different routing options
  • Prefer direct routes over transshipment
  • Consider shorter distance alternatives

Select efficient carriers:

  • Benchmark carriers by emissions efficiency
  • Choose carriers investing in fuel efficiency
  • Prefer newer, more efficient vessels

Consolidate shipments:

  • Combine smaller shipments into full containers
  • Improve load factors
  • Reduce per-unit emissions

Mode shifting:

  • Consider rail for inland segments
  • Evaluate ocean vs. air freight emissions
  • Use intermodal options strategically

Customer Communication​

Providing emissions data to customers:

  1. Calculate emissions for each shipment
  2. Include CO2 data in delivery confirmations
  3. Create sustainability reports for key customers
  4. Demonstrate your environmental commitment

Customer portal integration:

  • Show CO2 data in customer-facing portals
  • Enable customers to track their carbon footprint
  • Provide sustainability insights
  • Support customer ESG goals

Best Practices​

Regular Calculation​

  1. Calculate for all shipments

    • Make it standard practice
    • Don't calculate only occasionally
    • Build comprehensive emissions database

  2. Calculate after arrival

    • Wait for complete data
    • Actual routes are finalized
    • Most accurate calculations

  3. Automate if possible

    • Set up automations to calculate when shipment completes
    • Include in scheduled reports
    • Reduce manual effort

Data Management​

  1. Maintain complete shipment data

    • Enter B/L and container numbers promptly
    • Keep routing information updated
    • Ensure carrier data is accurate

  2. Export and archive

    • Regular exports of emissions data
    • Maintain historical records
    • Support multi-year trend analysis

  3. Quality checks

    • Review calculations for anomalies
    • Investigate unusually high or low values
    • Verify against industry benchmarks

Analysis and Optimization​

  1. Track trends

    • Monthly/quarterly emissions totals
    • Emissions per shipment over time
    • Efficiency improvements

  2. Benchmark

    • Compare against industry averages
    • Track your performance vs. competitors
    • Set reduction targets

  3. Segment analysis

    • Emissions by route
    • Emissions by carrier
    • Emissions by product line or customer

Troubleshooting​

Calculation Button Disabled​

If you can't click "Calculate Emission":

Reason 1: Missing required data

  • Add B/L or booking number
  • Enter at least one container number
  • Complete origin and destination

Reason 2: Shipment too old

  • Calculations may be restricted to recent shipments (within 6 months)
  • Contact support for historical calculations

Reason 3: Insufficient data

  • System needs minimum data to calculate
  • Review tradeflow for completeness
  • Add missing information

Reason 4: Calculation already in progress

  • Button may be temporarily disabled
  • Wait a few seconds and try again
  • Refresh page if button stays disabled

Calculation Fails or Errors​

If calculation produces errors:

Error: "Insufficient data for calculation"

  • Add more complete shipment information
  • Ensure B/L and container numbers are present
  • Verify dates and locations are populated

Error: "Route data unavailable"

  • System can't determine route
  • Manually add origin and destination ports
  • Check for typos in location names

Error: "Calculation timeout"

  • Rare, usually temporary
  • Try again in a few minutes
  • Contact support if persists

No error but no result:

  • Refresh the page
  • Check if result appeared after delay
  • Try in different browser
  • Contact support

Unexpected Results​

If emissions seem too high or low:

Verify data:

  • Check container count (10 containers vs. 1 makes big difference)
  • Confirm route is correct (transshipment adds emissions)
  • Review distance (should match expected route)

Consider factors:

  • Reefer containers have higher emissions
  • Long routes naturally have high emissions
  • Multiple transshipments increase total
  • Partial loads may show higher per-unit emissions

Compare benchmarks:

  • Check similar routes in your history
  • Look up industry averages for the route
  • Verify against carrier sustainability reports

Contact support if:

  • Result is wildly inconsistent with route
  • Calculation shows impossible values
  • You suspect data error

Frequently Asked Questions​

Q: How often should I calculate emissions? A: Ideally for every completed shipment. Calculate after arrival for most accurate data. Consider automating the process.

Q: Can I calculate emissions before shipment departs? A: Yes, but it will be an estimate based on planned route. Recalculate after arrival for actual emissions.

Q: Why do emissions vary for the same route? A: Different vessels have different fuel efficiency. Load factors vary. Weather and speed adjustments affect fuel consumption. Transshipment points may differ.

Q: Are emissions for reefer containers really higher? A: Yes, reefer containers require continuous power for refrigeration, significantly increasing energy consumption and emissions.

Q: Can I offset emissions through Dockflow? A: Dockflow calculates emissions but doesn't directly offer carbon offset purchasing. Use the data to purchase offsets through carbon credit platforms.

Q: How do Dockflow's calculations compare to carrier-provided data? A: Dockflow uses industry-standard methodologies. Results should be comparable to carrier calculations, though small differences may exist due to methodology variations.

Q: Can I export emissions data for multiple shipments at once? A: Yes, add the CO2 column to your dashboard view and export. All calculated emissions will be included in the export.

Q: What's the difference between "direct distance" and actual distance? A: Direct distance (as crow flies) is shorter. Actual distance includes the sailing route vessels take, which accounts for navigational channels, landmass avoidance, and routing preferences.

Q: Do emissions include inland transport? A: Dockflow primarily calculates ocean freight emissions. Inland transport (truck, rail) would need to be calculated separately.

Support​

Questions about CO2 calculations?