CO₂ Management Across All Transport Modes: Xfreight as a TMS for Sustainable Logistics

Sustainability is no longer a voluntary extra, but a decisive factor for competitiveness in logistics. With the EU CO₂ Regulation 2025, freight forwarders, logistics service providers, and shippers are faced with the challenge of complying with legal limits while at the same time designing their processes efficiently.

A modern approach is to integrate CO₂ interfaces into transport management systems (TMS). With its Xfreight freight forwarding software, XTRAS forward thinking offers a platform that not only records emissions data, but also actively integrates it into the planning and control of transport processes. The result: transparency, compliance, and noticeable savings.

Content:

EU CO₂ Regulation 2025: Why Companies Must Act Now

How CO₂ Interfaces Work in a TMS

Practical Advantages of CO₂ Reporting in Logistics

Use Cases: Practical Applications of CO₂ Interfaces

Xfreight: More Than Just a TMS

Research on CO₂ Emission Measurement at Terminals

Benefits in Daily Terminal Operations

XTRAS Forward Thinking: Sustainability as a Standard

Conclusion: Sustainability Pays Off — Ecologically and Economically

EU CO₂ Regulation 2025: Why Companies Must Act Now

Starting in 2025, binding fleet emission limits for heavy-duty vehicles within the EU will apply for the first time. Manufacturers are required to reduce CO₂ emissions by at least 15% compared to 2021 levels, with annual targets from 2025 to 2029. This step supports the overarching goal of climate neutrality by 2050, with an intermediate target of reducing overall economic CO₂ emissions by 55% by 2030 compared to 1990. Companies that fail to transition in time risk significant fines and competitive disadvantages.

For freight forwarders and logistics companies, this means:

Emission reporting with verifiable documentation will become mandatory.
CO₂ optimization must be integrated into route planning.
Investments in sustainable fleets require comprehensive data management.

Consequences for companies that do not adapt promptly include:

Financial risks due to fines for exceeding emission limits.
Competitive disadvantages as customers and partners increasingly demand transparent sustainability reporting.
Investment pressure to incorporate new propulsion technologies such as electric or hydrogen vehicles into fleet strategies.

A TMS with a CO₂ interface like Xfreight supports these requirements by automatically integrating emission data and translating it into process control.

How CO₂ Interfaces Work in a TMS

The technical foundation is the EcoTrans IT interface, which reliably captures, exchanges, and reports CO₂ emissions. This interface is seamlessly integrated into Xfreight, offering clear practical benefits:

Automated data collection: Emissions are captured continuously and in real time, eliminating manual tracking.
Data analysis & reports: CO₂ values can be used for internal evaluations, external audits, or sustainability reports.
Environmentally-factorized planning: Emissions, alongside costs, time, and capacity, are included in route planning.
Compliance at the push of a button: EU requirements can be verified and documented at any time.

Thus, a classic Transport Management System transforms into a tool for active emissions management.

Practical Advantages of CO₂ Reporting in Logistics

Integrated CO₂ emissions management brings several ecological and economic benefits:

✨ Transparency
Xfreight provides reliable, real-time data to give companies clear insights into the ecological footprint of their transports.

✨ Efficiency
Data-driven route optimization and capacity planning reduce fuel consumption and emissions, often with direct cost advantages.

✨ Compliance
Automated reporting helps companies meet EU regulatory demands and reduce the risk Compliance of penalties.

✨ Competitive advantage
With growing client demands for sustainability proof, professional CO₂ reporting secures new contracts and strengthens market position.

Use Cases: Practical Applications of CO₂ Interfaces

To make the added value tangible, it is worth taking a look at typical use cases:

An international freight forwarder can provide instant emission proofs to clients during global tenders.
A medium-sized logistics company identifies inefficient routes and lowers diesel consumption by double-digit percentages using automated evaluations.
A large mixed fleet combining electric and conventional trucks benefits from Xfreight’s clear data foundation for balancing optimal fleet composition and emission documentation.

Xfreight: More Than Just a TMS

XXfreight combines classic TMS functions with modern sustainability management, enabling companies to:

Automatically evaluate fleet emissions.
Generate sustainability reports without additional effort.
Optimize transports based on costs and emissions.
Prepare investment decisions based on data.

Xfreight becomes the central control tool for logistics companies striving to align profitability with sustainability.

Research on CO₂ Emission Measurement at Terminals

Current research at XTRAS investigates CO₂ emission measurement and evaluation within terminal operations, focusing on:

• Analysis of emission sources – e.g., container movements, machine operation, downtime, and energy consumption of handling equipment.
• Transparency and reporting – investigation of how internal reports and external compliance requirements, such as EU CO₂ regulations, could be efficiently supported.
• Optimization potential – Identification of starting points for increasing efficiency, e.g., by reducing empty runs or energy-optimized processes.
• Holistic sustainability approach – Consideration of how CO₂ reporting can be established not only in transport but also at the terminal

Benefits in Daily Terminal Operations

Environmentally conscious planning of terminal processes using real-time emission indicators.
Optimized equipment usage (e.g., reducing unnecessary movements, efficient crane and forklift deployment).
Sustainability documentation for stakeholders, including shippers and port authorities.
Reduced operating costs through lower emissions and thus less energy consumption.
Strategic basis for investing in energy-saving or low-emission technologies.

This makes terminal management not only more efficient but also ecologically responsible — a genuine competitive edge in modern port operations.

XTRAS Forward Thinking: Sustainability as a Standard

Sustainability is no longer a niche issue but a strategic success factor across the logistics sector. The combination of legal requirements, growing customer awareness, and economic benefits clearly shows: Investing in green processes today secures competitiveness tomorrow.

For logistics companies, this means more than just capturing and reducing emissions — it means embedding sustainability into the entire value chain, from strategic planning through daily transport operations to transparent reporting for partners and clients.

XTRAS forward thinking pursues this approach consistently: with solutions like Xfreight, ecological and economic goals are united. Sustainability is not treated as an add-on but integrated into modern logistics software. Companies can thus manage processes efficiently, improve their CO₂ footprint, and meet the demands of a dynamic, regulated industry.

Conclusion: Sustainability Pays Off — Ecologically and Economically

The EU CO₂ regulation 2025 fundamentally changes the logistics industry. Companies that adopt TMS sustainability and integrated CO₂ emissions management early secure clear advantages: fewer emissions, lower costs, and enhanced competitiveness.

With Xfreight, XTRAS forward thinking offers a solution that not only documents emissions but actively reduces them — paving the way for sustainable, future-proof logistics.