Use Case

Pioneering Maritime Biodiversity Disclosures (TNFD) - Wallenius Wilhelmsen

Background 

Wallenius Wilhelmsen, a global leader in integrated vehicle transportation and logistics, operates the world’s largest fleet of roll-on/roll-off vessels and a comprehensive land-based logistics network. With operations spanning six continents and a workforce of over 12,000, the company has long prioritized sustainability, including initiatives such as the Blue Whales Blue Skies program and responsible ship recycling. 

In 2024, Wallenius Wilhelmsen initiated a biodiversity impact assessment aligned with the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) framework. The goal was to systematically assess the company’s dependencies, impacts, risks, and opportunities related to nature—particularly in ecologically sensitive marine areas. This effort culminated in a TNFD LEAP use case, developed in collaboration with HUB Ocean, to inform strategy, disclosure, and operational decision-making.  

  

Use Case Overview 

The use case focused on applying the TNFD’s LEAP approach—Locate, Evaluate, Assess, and Prepare—to Wallenius Wilhelmsen’s direct maritime operations, which account for approximately 75% of the company’s revenue. Using Automatic Identification System (AIS) data and geospatial biodiversity layers, HUB Ocean mapped its global shipping routes against ocean sensitive areas such as habitats, species and areas with regulations. 

The assessment focused at two locations, including the Sri Lanka traffic separation corridor and  Chesapeake Bay. These areas were analyzed to understand the company’s exposure and potential impacts on marine biodiversity, particularly marine mammals. 

 Types of Data Insights HUB Ocean provided to Wallenius Wilhelmsen 

HUB Ocean supported Wallenius Wilhelmsen by integrating curated ecological datasets into the Ocean Data Platform (ODP), enabling spatial analysis of shipping routes in relation to biodiversity-sensitive zones. The collaboration focused on: 

  • Mapping vessel activity against protected and sensitive marine areas using open-source datasets (e.g., Allen Coral Atlas, UNEP-WCMC, OBIS, ProtectedSeas). 

  • Applying a sensitivity matrix to assess the vulnerability of for instance marine mammals  

  • Prioritizing locations based on combined exposure (vessel-hours, speed etc) and ecological sensitivity, with high-priority zones identified for further mitigation. 

  • Conducting deep dives into specific trade lanes, such as the Sri Lanka corridor and Chesapeake Bay, to quantify potential impacts and identify mitigation opportunities. 

These insights were delivered through a secure, collaborative workspace, allowing Wallenius Wilhelmsen to visualize and interpret biodiversity risks in operational contexts. 

Value and Impact Creation  

The collaboration yielded strategic and operational value for Wallenius Wilhelmsen: 

  • It enabled the company to translate complex regulatory expectations—such as the EU’s CSRD and the TNFD disclosure framework—into actionable insights, reinforcing its leadership in sustainable shipping. 

  • By adopting a double materiality lens, the company deepened its understanding of how nature affects its operations and how its operations affect nature. 

  • The use case informed the development of a biodiversity strategy aligned with the Global Biodiversity Framework and TNFD’s mitigation hierarchy, setting the stage for future target-setting and performance management. 

  • The initiative also demonstrated the value of stakeholder engagement, with input from marine biologists, NGOs, and peers shaping the assessment and reinforcing the credibility of the findings. .