Oldendorff to Reduce Iron Ore Trade Emissions

Salzgitter Flachstahl and Oldendorff Carriers have entered into a long-term agreement to reduce carbon emissions in the maritime transport of iron ore, marking a further step toward decarbonizing Salzgitter’s steel supply chain.

Starting in January 2026, Oldendorff will transport iron ore for Salzgitter from various loading ports to Hamburg using bulk carriers operated with a focus on fuel-efficient practices. By optimizing cargo flows and routing, the collaboration is expected to reduce CO₂e emissions by at least 20%. 

Salzgitter will incur no additional costs as a result of these measures – in fact, the reduction of transport fuel consumption will lead to cost savings.

This collaboration is projected to cut approximately 19,000 tonnes of CO₂e, equivalent to removing over 4,000 passenger cars from the road for a year. The reductions represent Scope 1 emissions for Oldendorff and Scope 3 emissions for Salzgitter.

Oldendorff’s fleet primarily consists of modern “eco”-type bulk carriers, which are designed to reduce fuel consumption compared to earlier vessel generations. Optimized hull forms, advanced engine technology, and additional fuel-saving features contribute to a lower carbon intensity per tonne of cargo transported.

Gunnar Groebler, Chairman of the Executive Board of Salzgitter, said: “In our SALCOS® project, we are focusing not only on decarbonizing the internal production route for steelmaking, but also on related process steps along the entire value chain. Logistics – particularly seaborne raw material transport – plays a central role in this context. We are therefore pleased to have Oldendorff, a long-standing partner, at our side as a strong companion on our transformation journey.”