Purpose The purpose of this research is to illustrate an optimisation method, and resulting insights, for minimising total logistics related carbon emissions for end-to-end supply chains. Design The research is based on two real-life UK industrial cases. For the first case, several alternative realistic routes towards the UK are analysed and the optimal route minimising total carbon emissions is identified and tested in real conditions. For the second case, emissions towards several destinations are calculated and two alternative routes to southern Europe are compared, using several transport modes (road, ro-ro, rail and maritime). An adapted Value Stream Mapping (VSM) approach is used to map carbon footprint and calculate emissions; in addition AIS data provided information for vessel specification allowing the use of more accurate emission factors for each shipping leg. Findings The analyses demonstrate that end-to-end logistics carbon emissions can be reduced by between 14% and 21% through direct deliveries (to Felixstowe and Southampton) when compared to deliveries with transhipment and warehousing (in Antwerp). For distant destinations the maritime leg of the supply chain is the main contributor to the total emissions. It is notable that one of the main apportionment approaches (that of Defra in the UK) generate 2 higher carbon footprints for routes using Ro-Pax vessels, making those not optimal. The feasibility of the optimal route was demonstrated with real-life data. Originality/Value This research used real life data from two UK companies and highlighted where carbon emissions are generated in the inbound and outbound transport chain, and how these can be reduced. The tool employed, VSM, proved to be a flexible tool that can be adapted to measure and analyse CO2 emissions with different calculation methods