Make Your Logistics Greener: Carbon Emission Calculator API Overview

A lot of data and skills are required when it comes to ensuring the sustainability of freight transportation, and this can be confusing. How do I calculate the CO2 emissions for a specific type of transportation? Where can I get carbon offset data for a route or a carrier? Is it possible to achieve full greening of logistics operations? Throughout this article, we will cover these and other key topics.

Shippers, freight forwarders, analytical companies, logistics providers, and other counterparties are keen to get fast and high-quality offers to optimize transportation costs in the most environmentally friendly way.

Let's start the journey of improved logistics management with SeaRates Carbon Emission Calculator, an advanced solution for green shipping.


How to simply implement environmental technologies in logistics operations?

The importance of reducing the carbon footprint in freight transportation is already an unquestioned fact. However, what is the reason for the lack of environmental optimization in logistics? It is not enough to be aware of the harmfulness of CO2 emissions, but to have an effective and easy-to-use tool to neutralize the negative impact on nature when carrying cargo, especially by sea.

Let's dive deeper into the extensive functionality of such a tool as the Carbon Emission Calculator by SeaRates.


How does the Carbon Emission Calculator API work?

Now it's time to learn ways to meet essential requirements on sustainability improvement for modern logistics and trade businesses:


How to calculate carbon emissions for my individual needs?

The CO2 emissions calculator's capabilities are based on two requests to the API: 'CO2 by coordinates' and 'CO2 by lines' calculations.

Start to search for 'CO2 by coordinates' and calculate the emissions into the atmosphere from your transportation based on the following parameters:


  • coordinates of loading and discharging points;
  • type of transportation (sea/road/rail/air). Container Vessels, Bulk, Cargo, RoRo, and Barges are accepted for sea. Diesel or Electric for road/rail type. The Default vehicle for air.;
  • type of transport available for the selected type of transportation;
  • container type;
  • tonnage of cargo weight.





This option is suitable for quickly estimating the amount of emissions based on route data in the planning stage of the entire supply chain.


The 'CO2 by lines' query is also a great way to complement comprehensive shipment planning. Here, you need to specify the following details of transportation:


  • coordinates of loading and unloading points;
  • type of container;
  • tonnage of cargo weight.




Thus, in a couple of seconds, you get a quick calculation based on the latest data from the world's shipping lines. Historical data aggregated and sorted from reliable logistics providers appears as meaningful insights in your company’s system via integrated SeaRates Carbon Emission Calculator API to your wider audience.

Also, with our API, you can provide a unique support capability to calculate carbon emissions for multimodal transport. All it takes is to specify the transshipment points and different types of transport along the routes:


What kind of response do API users get?

In both cases, the carbon footprint calculator response includes two elements in the calculation result: "amount" to accurately calculate emissions in grams and "price" to determine the carbon offset in US dollars.




How else can you use the carbon footprint calculator for business?

With the results you get, manage the environmental impact of your logistics operations as practically as possible.

In addition to the integration of the API co2 calculator for shipping, there is one more way to reduce the harmful CO2 impact. When booking transportation through the SeaRates marketplace, explore the possibility of direct investment in carbon offset by clicking the "Carbon offset" booking option. By doing so, you will directly contribute to the environmental initiatives of our Climate Trade partners, who provide solutions to reduce air emissions from cargo transportation around the world.



Moreover, on our Developer Portal, you will find the API simulator. Enter the data of your transportation routes for calculation by coordinates or by lines to send a test request right away.

Click the 'Execute query' button and get a test view of the carbon emissions calculation based on the parameters you specify.





Explore the SeaRates Developer Portal for comprehensive documentation of the CO2 calculator API, which is available for review. The guide contains two requests, 'CO2 by coordinates' and 'CO2 by lines', with ‘Query parameters’ and ‘Response’ blocks to streamline the integration of the carbon emissions equivalent calculator for you.


CO2 Calculator API benefits you get

  • Logistics optimization functionality: Compare transportation methods by environmental performance analysis to fully control and green the entire supply chain! Take advantage of the impact and toxic emissions from each mode of transportation. Enhanced management of shipping methods leads to improved compliance, reputational enhancement, and greening of the supply chain through an innovative logistics tool.
  • Increase leads engagement: Users of the best carbon footprint calculator API on the logistics market, right on your company's resource, will get access to powerful functionality and a global database with the most up-to-date information in a couple of clicks.
  • Complete standards' compliance: How can you stay confident in the accuracy of our calculations? The API is based on the Global Logistics Emissions Council (GLEC) Framework Version 2.0, which provides our users with valuable and unique data on shipping routes and global carrier information. Furthermore, the API is strictly based on the ISO 14083 carbon calculation principles and standards for the supply chain, including all logistics processes and freight container shipments. SeaRates' methodology allows you to perform atomized calculations based on advanced insights into your system through one convenient green logistics software - the Carbon Emission Calculator API.


To sum up

We provide a comprehensive approach to the development of digital solutions aimed at improving the sustainability of logistics and trade businesses around the world. In doing so, SeaRates aims to accelerate the environment's prosperity and the next-generation efficient performance of the freight industry.

To ensure smooth integration, contact the SeaRates team. We will help you choose the best IT logistics solution to meet the needs of your business.

Sophia Shkuro is a content manager from Dnipro, Ukraine. Believes that the more complex a thing is, the easier it should be to write about it. Dreams of a future vacation by the sea.