Inland Waterways: GLEC
Calculate emissions of freight on inland waterways with the GLEC Framework, based on vessel type, distance, weight and energy scope.
About the methodology
The Global Logistics Emissions Council (GLEC) shapes how carbon footprints in logistics are calculated and reduced, including for inland waterways. Its globally recognised framework covers logistics from road freight to aviation and inland waterways.
For inland waterways, the GLEC methodology focuses on how vessels operate, such as engine types, fuel consumption and loading efficiency. It also includes emissions from the wider logistics chain, such as cargo handling and transport to and from port facilities, so that all carbon sources linked to inland waterway transport are captured.
Sample requests
Send a quote before the shipment is booked, then repeat the call with audit set to true once the booking is final. The body is otherwise identical.
{
"expand": ["items"],
"items": [{
"audit": false,
"type": "inland_waterways",
"external_reference": "test_1",
"origin": "DEBER",
"destination": "DEFRA",
"weight_in_tonnes": 20,
"vessel_type": "pushed_convoy_push_boat_2_barges",
"energy_scope": "ttw",
"methodology": "GLEC"
}]
}audit_for is optional
Pass the ID of an auditable entity when you calculate on behalf of that entity. Otherwise, leave it out.
Defaults
When a field is missing, SQUAKE fills it in before calculating.
| Field | Default | Applies when |
|---|---|---|
vessel_type | motor_vessels_under_50_m | No vessel_type is sent |
energy_scope | wtw | No energy_scope is sent |
Request fields
typestringrequiredinland_waterways
methodologystringrequiredGLEC
originstringSQUAKE tries to resolve the location whatever its format. Ideally, use the Post standard for addresses, an IATA/ICAO code for airports (format ^[A-Z]{3,4}$, for example "MUC"), and a UN/LOCODE for other locations used in trade and transportation (format ^[A-Z]{2}\W?[A-Z2-9]{3}$, for example "DEHAM"). You can also pass latitude and longitude (format ^[-+]?\d{1,3}\.\d{1,10}\s?,\s?[-+]?\d{1,3}\.\d{1,10}$, for example "+40.712,-74.006").
destinationstringSame formats as origin.
distance_in_kmnumberTakes priority over origin and destination. Without it, SQUAKE resolves the distance from them. If you send both, SQUAKE uses distance_in_km.
weight_in_tonnesnumberWeight of the freight in tonnes.
vessel_typeenumcontainer_vessel_110_m, container_vessel_135_m, container_vessel_coupled_convoys, coupled_convoys, motor_vessels_under_50_m, motor_vessels_under_80_m, motor_vessel_under_110_m, motor_vessel_135_m, pushed_convoy_push_boat_2_barges, pushed_convoy_push_boat_4_5_barges, pushed_convoy_push_boat_6_barges or tanker_vessel. Default value is motor_vessels_under_50_m.
energy_scopeenumttw or wtw. Defaults to wtw.
external_referencestringYour identifier for the item, up to 128 characters, so you can match results to requests. SQUAKE doesn't guarantee the order of items.
auditbooleanSet to true to create immutable audit records for finalised calculations. Must be enabled for your account.
POST /v2/calculations in the API referenceSample response
{
"carbon_quantity": 143256,
"carbon_unit": "gram",
"items": [{
"carbon_quantity": 143256,
"carbon_unit": "gram",
"external_reference": "test_1",
"type": "inland_waterways",
"methodology": "GLEC",
"distance": 508.0,
"distance_unit": "kilometer",
"algorithm_specifics": {
"algorithm_type": "glec",
"data": {
"co2e_in_g": 143256,
"co2e_emissions_wtw_in_g": 185928,
"co2e_per_tonne_km_in_g": 14,
"tonne_km": 10160,
"reporting_year": 2024,
"transportation_mode": "inland_waterways_transportation"
}
}
}]
}Smart Freight Centre helped us fine-tune our calculations of all freight and logistics operations in accordance with the GLEC Framework.
Bibliography
- Smart Freight Centre (2025). Global Logistics Emissions Council Framework V3.2.
- Smart Freight Centre. Towards efficient and zero emissions. https://www.smartfreightcentre.org/en/