The partnership emphasizes the companies' shared commitment to sustainable growth.

Maersk Line will undertake to reduce the CO2 emissions of every container it ships on behalf of DB Schenker Logistics between now and 2020 by 20% compared to 2014 levels.

"This is the first agreement between a global logistics services provider and a container shipping company," says  Karl-Friedrich Rausch, Chief Sustainability Officer of Deutsche Bahn AG and Management Board Member for Transportation and Logistics at DB Mobility Logistics AG.

"Maersk Line is an important partner for us. Together, we will increase our freight volumes and share responsibility for protecting the climate. The agreement is a milestone because we are incorporating aspects of sustainability into our business relationships," he said.

The objective of the six-year agreement is to fuel customers' interest in sustainable ocean freight on the market by bringing aspects of sustainability into business decision-making processes.

Maersk Line is DB Schenker's preferred partner because Maersk Line invests in state-of-the-art fuel efficient ships and because its service network and ship operation is optimized to meet the highest standards, which reduces polluting emissions overall. In addition, Maersk Line can break down the environmental improvements per container transported.

"The partnership encourages greater transparency on sustainable container transportation which can drive significant sustainability improvements in the industry," says Vincent Clerc, Chief Trade and Marketing Officer in Maersk Line. "By integrating sustainability elements into the purchasing decisions, we jointly strive to change the procurement process in container shipping fundamentally."