Environmental initiatives – like recycling and re-engineering – are generating massive savings for companies in the logistics sector. To establish the practical implications of some of these initiatives in the freight industry, FTW grilled two of the country’s major logistics groups – Imperial Logistics and the Grindrod Group. As part of Imperial Logistics’ commitment to sustainability and greening the supply chain, group company Imperial Cargo Solutions (ICS) embarked on a project called the “Carbon Footprint Reduction Initiative (CFRI)” – and is to date saving more than R800 000 a year on electricity. Implemented in two phases, this undertaking started off with a focus on reducing the company’s electricity consumption through the retrofitting of lights. This was phase one, implemented in March 2012, reported ICS MD, Steven Smith. Old, inefficient lighting technology is being replaced with new technology, and ICS is also in the process of getting light (motion and occupancy) sensors fitted in all offices and warehouses, which, Smith told FTW, will save an additional estimated 5%-10% in kilowatt-hours of electricity. The energy efficiency project was implemented using the Eskom demand side management rebate programme. “The installation of energy-saving lights has to date resulted in a 24% saving on electricity consumption year-on-year,” he added. “The average electricity used per square metre reduced from 3.806 kWh in 2011 to 2.899 kWh in 2012.” Phase two of the initiative kicked off in March this year, with the installation of a wash bay water treatment plant at the company’s Garfield Logistics Park facility. To date the water plant has provided a total of 286 144 litres of recycled water to the wash bay – which translates to a 64% water saving over the last four months of operations. Smith forecasts annual water savings of 85% by March 2014. Grindrod also has a full environmental programme – a considerably complex one designed to deal with both ships at sea and landside facilities. And this programme has just been updated. CEO Alan Olivier told FTW that this year the board had approved a new and improved environmental and climate change policy. The drive to make Grindrod’s three Durban office buildings more energy efficient continued for the second year running. Retrofits, contract arrangements and staff awareness initiatives resulted in electricity consumption being reduced by a further 7% - on top of the 10% decrease in 2011. As just part of the policy to protect the marine environment, shipping achieved zero significant oil spills (less than one barrel of oil) for the seventh consecutive year. All ship waste was disposed of in strict compliance with Marpol (short for marine pollution) regulations. During the year, these regulations were tightened, and now no waste is disposed of overboard by any ship while at sea. In its land-based non-hazardous solid waste recycling rates, the 20% annual recycling target was surpassed, and 66% of all waste tyres were recycled – from nil in previous years, he added. INSERT 1 64% Recycled water savings over four months INSERT 2 66% The percentage of waste tyres recycled in a year
