Salzgitter partners to decarbonise maritime iron ore transport

Salzgitter Flachstahl and Oldendorff Carriers have signed a long-term agreement to reduce carbon emissions from the seaborne transport of iron ore. The long-term partnership aims to cut CO₂e emissions by at least 20 per cent, achieving a reduction of around 19,000 tonnes – equivalent to taking more than 4,000 cars off the road each year.

“With our Salcos project, we are focusing not only on decarbonising the internal production route of steelmaking, but also on the associated process steps along the entire value chain,” says Gunnar Groebler, Chief Executive of Salzgitter AG. Logistics – in particular the transport of raw materials by sea – plays a key role in this context.
From January 2026, Oldendorff will transport iron ore for Salzgitter Flachstahl from various loading ports to Hamburg, using bulk carriers that are particularly fuel-efficient. By optimising freight deliveries and route planning, the collaboration is expected to reduce CO₂e emissions by at least 20 per cent. Furthermore, the reduction in fuel consumption during transport will lead to cost savings.
The collaboration is expected to save around 19,000 tonnes of CO₂e, which is equivalent to an annual reduction of over 4,000 passenger cars on the roads. The reductions correspond to Scope 1 emissions for Oldendorff and Scope 3 emissions for Salzgitter.
The Oldendorff fleet consists mainly of modern ‘Eco’-class bulk carriers, which have lower fuel consumption compared with earlier generations of vessels. Optimised hull shapes, advanced engine technologies and additional fuel-saving features contribute to a lower carbon intensity per tonne of cargo transported, according to Salzgitter.
Source: Salzgitter AG