Maersk has announced an investment into biomass research in a bis to reduce its bunker fuel consumption. According to the company, which has an annual fuel bill of $7bn, there has been no prior research into the possibility of using biomass in the shipping industry.

Pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline, Del Monte Foods and MGM Resorts are among some 25 companies that have joined an Ecodesk campaign to improve supply chain efficiency and transparency, and make it easier for businesses to measure so-called Scope 3 emissions.

IBM announced a new predictive analytics solution to help enterprises identify and root out problems that could lead to asset failure. These new business consulting services and software are aimed at helping decision makers predict and prevent damaging supply-chain disruptions.

U.S. distributors and freight haulers have held down diesel consumption even as their business recovers from recession by making thousands of small changes to their operations. Improved driver training, restrictions on idling and careful route planning to reduce deadheads are all reducing consumption of expensive diesel while helping companies promote their green credentials.

South African companies, particularly bigger enterprises, are making significant progress in optimizing their supply chains; however, opportunities for further enhancement do exist even for the most advanced practitioners.