Let’s not pretend anymore—road freight emissions aren’t a mystery

We all know it. Whether you’re running Full Trailer Loads across Europe or juggling LTL (Less Than Truckload) routes within the UK, trucks burn fuel—and with that, comes CO₂. Lots of it. Road freight remains one of the largest contributors to logistics-related greenhouse gas emissions across the continent. But here’s the strange bit: for an industry that tracks pallets to the minute, we still treat emissions like a rough estimate. And that needs to change.

Why the pressure’s mounting (and it’s not just from the engine)

Whether you’re based in Manchester or Munich, your business is operating under tightening regulatory glare. The EU’s Fit for 55 package aims to reduce emissions from transport by 90% by 2050. In the UK, companies are already navigating SECR (Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting) and preparing for more disclosure-heavy frameworks under the TPT (Transition Plan Taskforce).

But here’s the catch—most of these laws don’t just care about your warehouse emissions or company car policy. They want the whole picture. That includes emissions from subcontracted road freight, third-party hauliers, and even the fuel type used per leg.

If you’re quoting a client for a run from Leeds to Lyon, they’ll want to know the emissions too. If you can’t provide it? Someone else will.

“But diesel’s the only real option, right?”

Not exactly. And not anymore.

While diesel still powers the majority of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) is rapidly entering the mix. HVO is a renewable diesel alternative made from waste fats and vegetable oils. It can reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 90% compared to conventional diesel.

The tricky part? Without proper emissions tracking, you can’t tell the difference in carbon terms. Whether your haulier is burning Euro VI diesel or HVO—on paper, it all just looks like “road freight.” That’s why accurate, shipment-level data matters.

Here’s where the numbers get messy—and why they don’t have to be

Let me explain. A Full Trailer Load from Birmingham to Bologna using standard diesel might emit around 1.2 tonnes of CO₂. Now throw in a few LTL pickups, maybe a warehouse stop in Lille, and suddenly your carbon profile changes.

Most freight forwarders either:

Guesstimate using averages from DEFRA tables
Ignore the detail entirely (because who has time to sift through waybills and fuel types?)

The problem? Those rough figures fall apart when a client wants Scope 3 emissions reporting under the GHG Protocol, or you’re trying to calculate your actual carbon intensity per shipment.

This is where CocoonCarbon® does the heavy lifting—literally and figuratively.

CocoonCarbon®: Your CO₂ emissions calculator for real-life freight

Rather than juggling spreadsheets and playing carbon bingo, CocoonCarbon® plugs into your existing systems (like CocoonFMS®, CargoWise, or a good ol’ CSV upload) and calculates your emissions per shipment, per route, based on actual transport data.

Is it a standard diesel rig or an HVO-powered truck?
Was it Full Load or LTL?
Did the shipment cross borders, stop at hubs, switch trailers?

CocoonCarbon® factors it all in—giving you real-time, GHG Protocol-aligned data without the headache.

Real numbers. Real value.

his isn’t just about ticking ESG boxes. It’s about protecting margins, winning contracts, and future-proofing your business.

Let’s say you’re pitching a retail client who wants to report emissions by SKU or lane. If you can show them the CO₂ for their supply chain—right down to the last kilometre of overland transport—you’re not just a freight partner. You’re a sustainability partner.

And when legislation tightens (which it will), you won’t be scrambling to patch together six months of guesstimates. You’ll already have the data.

What about cost?

Fair question. But here’s one for you: What’s the cost of not doing it?

Losing tenders because you can’t provide accurate emissions reports
Being excluded from sustainability-driven procurement lists
Paying consultants to backfill reports under new ESG rules

CocoonCarbon® runs on a flat monthly fee—no extra charge for more calculations, no surprise overages. One platform. Unlimited emissions reporting. Stress-free compliance.

Freight’s carbon footprint isn’t going away. But guesswork can.

Let’s be blunt—road freight isn’t going green overnight. Diesel’s still king. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get smarter about how you measure, report, and communicate your emissions.

Whether you’re running full trailers across the continent, managing LTL deliveries, or working with subcontracted hauliers, you can take control of your carbon data—without losing your mind or your margins.

So stop guessing. Start calculating. And make sure your emissions story is one your clients actually want to hear.

👉 Start tracking your road freight emissions with CocoonCarbon®