Shipment Emissions Calculator (Basic)

Estimating shipment emissions

A basic way to estimate shipment emissions is to multiply distance by weight and an emission factor for the transport mode. This produces a CO2e estimate in kilograms. While simplified, this method is widely used for screening, reporting, and early-stage sustainability analysis. It keeps the model transparent and easy to explain to internal stakeholders.

Emission factors vary by data source and by the specifics of the equipment used. A rail carrier using electric traction will have a different factor than diesel traction. Air freight varies by aircraft type and load factor. Ocean factors vary by vessel size and fuel mix. For that reason, this calculator includes editable default factors stored locally in the page’s JavaScript so you can align with your preferred standards. You can adjust them without any external API or data lookup.

The tool supports distance in kilometers or miles and weight in kilograms, metric tons, or short tons. All values are converted to kilometers and metric tons internally. It also provides CO2e per ton-km, a useful efficiency metric for comparing modes or lanes. Lower CO2e per ton-km indicates a more efficient mode for moving freight.

Because this is a basic model, it does not include empty miles, transshipment, refrigeration, or detailed fuel burn. Use it for high-level comparisons or reporting when detailed telemetry is not available. For more precise reporting, combine this estimate with carrier-specific emission factors or verified GLEC framework data.

The calculator runs entirely in your browser, so shipment details remain private. Use it to compare truck versus rail, evaluate the impact of mode shifts, or estimate emissions for bid proposals.

Formula

Weight conversion: kg ÷ 1000 = tonnes

Distance conversion: miles × 1.60934 = km

CO2e: Distance (km) × Weight (t) × Emission Factor

Example calculation

A 12-ton shipment travels 850 km by truck. Using a factor of 0.12 kg CO2e per ton-km, emissions are 850 × 12 × 0.12 = 1,224 kg CO2e. The CO2e per ton-km is 0.12 by definition.

FAQs

Are the emission factors authoritative?

They are reasonable defaults. Update them to match your ESG or regulatory reporting source.

Can I use this for international shipments?

Yes. Enter the full distance and choose the appropriate mode or split into legs manually.

Why is air freight so high?

Air transport burns far more fuel per ton-km than surface modes.

What is CO2e per ton-km?

It is the emission factor itself, shown as a reminder for benchmarking.

Is this calculator private?

Yes. All calculations run locally in your browser.

How it works

This calculator converts distance and weight to ton-km and multiplies by the selected emission factor. All computation is client-side for privacy.

Disclaimer

This is a simplified emissions estimate. For formal reporting, use verified emission factors and methodology aligned with your reporting framework.