Emissions from fertilizer transport and logistics
Transport of fertilizers contributes to the emission of greenhouse gases, but at a much lower level than does fertilizer production.
Fertilizers and their intermediates and raw materials, which are bulky and heavy, are shipped within countries and around the world in large quantities because the distribution of raw materials is uneven. During the past ten years, trade in fertilizers and related raw materials has expanded by an overall 25%.
The structure of fertilizer trade has changed significantly. For example, given the decline in domestic production, many products consumed in North America and in Europe now travel greater distances to their final markets. On the other hand, more production is occurring in or nearer the regions that account for the largest share of current and future fertilizer consumption, which shortens the distances those products travel. In addition, a greater proportion of mineral ore is being processed near the point of extraction, increasing the relative nutrient content and thus reducing emissions per unit of nutrient transported.
On the global scale, it is difficult to determine emissions related to domestic distribution of fertilizers since quantities, routes and modes of transport are continuously changing. Companies can estimate the emissions related to the transport of their products by multiplying the number of tonnes by the number of kilometres and the coefficient for the appropriate form of transport (after obtaining locally adjusted coefficients). This step should then be repeated for each form of transport used. Cooperation with logistical partners can help minimize the emissions related to fertilizer distribution.
The efficiency of road transport depends on load factor, vehicle efficiency (design, maintenance and operation) and cargo type. There seems to be some regional variation with regard to whether transport by rail or inland waterway has the least environmental impact. (Highway H2O 2009, Krohn et al. 2009, National Marine and Industrial Council Secretariat 2004).
Using life-cycle analysis methodology, IFA has estimated the emissions related to the transport of fertilizer materials in 2007 to be around 37 Tg CO2-eq.
Reducing GHG emissions related to transport and logistics
In operational terms, methods to reduce greenhouse gas emissions include shifting transport modes, using energy efficient-fuels, consolidating freight, optimizing warehouse and logistics systems, and installing vehicle catalysts to capture exhaust emissions and improve fuel efficiency.
As a general rule of thumb, seaborne transport has the lowest emissions factor and truck transport the highest, with rail and inland waterway falling in the middle. Future growth in fertilizer consumption is expected to occur mainly in Asia, South America and Africa, where trucking is the primary means of domestic fertilizer distribution.
Indirect methods of reducing emissions associated with freight also exist. In the case of fertilizers, these methods include changing the nutrient concentration of the product and improving the efficiency of its use, which moderate the overall volume of fertilizers transported (with a positive knock-on effect regarding the reduction of transport-related emissions).