# Should a chemical tanker operator count the empty return trip?

Canonical: https://senseible.earth/answers/chemical-tanker-empty-return-trip-count

Yes. Fuel burned driving back empty is part of the service, so it is counted and shared over the loads delivered. The GLEC Framework default intensities already include empty running; when you work from your own fuel records, add the return fuel yourself.

## Two ways

- From fuel: add loaded and empty fuel for the round trip, then divide by tonnes delivered.
- From defaults: tonne-km of the loaded leg times a GLEC intensity, which already includes empty running. Do not add the return again.

## Report

State which method you used. Mixing the two counts the empty leg twice.

## Worked example: one round trip (illustrative inputs)

- Loaded leg: 105 L; empty return: 75 L
- Fuel: 105 + 75 = 180 L x 2.68 = 482.4 kg CO2
- Delivered: 20 t, so 482.4 / 20 = 24.12 kg CO2 per tonne

Quantities are illustrative; use trip fuel records.

## What Senseible does here

Senseible reads electricity bills (CEA grid factor 0.710 kg CO2 per kWh, CO2 Baseline Database version 21.0) and diesel, LPG and gas invoices (IPCC 2006 defaults) into a dated, fingerprinted Scope 1 and 2 record for each site. Intensity per unit uses the activity count you enter, and estimates are labelled as estimates.

- [Road tanker emissions per tonne](https://senseible.earth/answers/chemical-road-tanker-emissions-per-tonne)
- [Empty container repositioning](https://senseible.earth/answers/empty-container-repositioning-emissions)
- [Eco-driving savings](https://senseible.earth/answers/how-to-measure-eco-driving-fuel-savings)

Sources: [Smart Freight Centre, GLEC Framework](https://www.smartfreightcentre.org/en/our-programs/emissions-accounting/global-logistics-emissions-council/), [IPCC 2006 Guidelines, Volume 2 Energy](https://www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/public/2006gl/vol2.html)

Last reviewed 2026-10-21.