About

Freight transport accounts for roughly 8% of global CO₂ emissions. A single air-freight parcel can produce 50× the emissions of the same parcel moved by sea. Miscalculating delivery emissions leads to inaccurate carbon reporting, regulatory non-compliance under schemes like the EU ETS, and misinformed offset purchases. This calculator applies DEFRA-aligned emission factors (EF) per transport mode, adjusted for package mass m and distance d, to produce a per-shipment CO₂ estimate in kg. It assumes average load factors; actual emissions vary with vehicle occupancy, fuel grade, and route topology. Results are approximations suitable for Scope 3 corporate reporting and personal footprint awareness, not for audited inventories.

Formulas

The core emission model for a single-leg shipment:

E = d × EF × m1000

Where E = total CO₂ emissions in kg, d = transport distance in km, EF = emission factor in kg CO₂/tonne⋅km (mode-specific, from DEFRA/EEA data), m = package mass in kg (divided by 1000 to convert to tonnes).

For multi-leg journeys the total emission sums each leg:

E_total = n∑i=1 d_i × EF_i × m1000

Tree offset equivalence uses the USDA Forest Service average: one mature tree absorbs approximately 21.77 kg CO₂/year.

T = E_total21.77

Where T = number of trees needed to offset the emissions over one year.

Reference Data

Transport Mode	Emission Factor	Typical Speed	Capacity Range	Best For
Small Van (Diesel)	0.60 kg CO₂/tonne⋅km	40 - 80 km/h	0.5 - 1.5 t	Last-mile urban delivery
Large Van (Diesel)	0.42 kg CO₂/tonne⋅km	50 - 90 km/h	1.5 - 3.5 t	Regional parcel routes
Rigid Truck (7.5t)	0.29 kg CO₂/tonne⋅km	60 - 90 km/h	3 - 7.5 t	Medium-distance freight
Articulated Truck (33t)	0.10 kg CO₂/tonne⋅km	70 - 100 km/h	15 - 26 t	Long-haul road freight
Freight Train (Electric)	0.03 kg CO₂/tonne⋅km	60 - 120 km/h	500 - 3000 t	Continental bulk freight
Freight Train (Diesel)	0.05 kg CO₂/tonne⋅km	50 - 100 km/h	500 - 3000 t	Rail where not electrified
Air Freight (Short-haul <3700 km)	1.13 kg CO₂/tonne⋅km	700 - 900 km/h	10 - 30 t	Urgent, high-value goods
Air Freight (Long-haul ≥3700 km)	0.85 kg CO₂/tonne⋅km	800 - 920 km/h	30 - 120 t	Intercontinental express
Container Ship (Large)	0.008 kg CO₂/tonne⋅km	20 - 40 km/h	50000 - 200000 t	Global bulk trade
Container Ship (Feeder)	0.016 kg CO₂/tonne⋅km	15 - 30 km/h	2000 - 15000 t	Port-to-port feeder service
Cargo Bicycle / E-Bike	0.00 kg CO₂/tonne⋅km	10 - 25 km/h	0.05 - 0.25 t	Zero-emission last mile
Electric Van	0.05 kg CO₂/tonne⋅km	40 - 80 km/h	0.5 - 2 t	Urban delivery (grid-dependent)
Inland Waterway Barge	0.03 kg CO₂/tonne⋅km	8 - 15 km/h	1000 - 5000 t	River/canal heavy cargo
Motorcycle Courier	0.15 kg CO₂/tonne⋅km	30 - 60 km/h	0.01 - 0.05 t	Small urgent documents
Drone Delivery	0.02 kg CO₂/tonne⋅km	50 - 100 km/h	0.001 - 0.005 t	Ultra-light, short range

Frequently Asked Questions

Air freight burns jet fuel (kerosene) at high rates with significant fuel consumption per tonne-km due to the energy required to maintain altitude. A short-haul flight produces roughly 1.13 kg CO₂/tonne·km. Container ships exploit economies of scale - a large vessel carrying 100,000+ tonnes amortizes fuel burn across massive cargo volume, yielding approximately 0.008 kg CO₂/tonne·km. The ratio is roughly 140:1 for the same cargo over the same distance.

The model uses a linear relationship (emissions ∝ mass), which is accurate for freight consolidated alongside other cargo. However, if your single package triggers an additional vehicle trip (e.g., a van dispatched for one parcel), the per-package emissions are dominated by vehicle overhead, not cargo mass. This calculator assumes shared-load conditions. For dedicated vehicles, multiply the result by the inverse load factor.

Each leg you add represents one transport segment. If your route is warehouse → airport → airport → delivery van → customer, you should add four legs with the appropriate mode for each. The last-mile van leg often accounts for 30-50% of total urban delivery emissions despite covering less than 10% of the total distance, because small vans have high emission factors per tonne·km.

The electric van factor of 0.05 kg CO₂/tonne·km reflects a weighted average grid mix (approximately 300 g CO₂/kWh). In Norway (nearly 100% hydro), actual emissions approach zero. In Poland (coal-heavy grid), they could reach 0.12 kg CO₂/tonne·km. Adjust the factor if you know your local grid intensity.

The 21.77 kg CO₂/year figure from the USDA Forest Service represents a mature, healthy deciduous tree in temperate climate. Tropical trees may absorb 2-3× more. Young saplings absorb far less in their first 5 years. The metric provides an intuitive sense of scale but should not be used for certified offset planning. Real offset projects use species-specific, age-weighted sequestration models.

These factors align with DEFRA 2023 guidelines and are suitable for screening-level Scope 3 Category 4 (upstream transportation) and Category 9 (downstream transportation) estimates. For audited reports under GHG Protocol, you need carrier-specific primary data or verified secondary datasets. This tool provides a defensible starting point, not a final audited figure.