Container terminal in Rotterdam first to switch from grey to green electricity

APM Terminals Rotterdam officially opened its new EUR 12.5 million power distribution network on its Rotterdam container terminal sourced by electricity generated through wind power. By switching from grey to green electricity the terminal reduces its CO2 emissions by 45% per year. The electricity is sourced from two locations of windmill farms in The Netherlands: Hagenwind in Aalten and De Landtong in Rotterdam. These power 14 gantry shore cranes, serving the largest container ships in the world that call the terminal; all the refrigerated containers stored on the terminal, light poles, workshops and other power consumption needs.

APM Terminals at the same time announced that the company aims to reduce its Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emission by 15% per TEU handled globally within three years. In 2007, APM Terminals’ total global CO2 emissions were 543,000 metric tons world-wide, or 17.5 kg CO2 per TEU handled. APM Terminals will reduce this number through innovative operational initiatives, best practice sharing, benchmarking, strategic investments and energy-conscious planning at every terminal. The target figure of 14.96 kg per TEU reflects the projected 15% decrease.

CEO Kim Fejfer stated “APM Terminals’ company policy, principles and standards require proactive efforts to design, develop, operate and maintain the most environmentally sensitive and advanced facilities possible. It is a responsibility we take very seriously as corporate citizens, and as members of every community in which our world-wide network of terminals and offices conduct business. Our strategy is to minimize our global environmental footprint through our daily operations, across all terminals and in any new business opportunities we pursue. This means we will update our terminal procedures and environmental performance standards to exceed local and national environmental regulatory compliance levels. Another promising area is the possibility to apply new innovative ideas at our terminals - here our global innovations team is working on optimized terminal designs that require less energy and use renewable energy sources”.

“In measuring our environmental footprint, it became clear to us that improvements were needed. Minimizing the footprint will not only reduce emissions but also reduce energy costs”, commented Hans van Kerkhof, Managing Director, APM Terminals Rotterdam. “There are multiple ways to cut emissions – examples include reducing energy consumption, minimizing the daily driving distances inside the terminal, improving yard utilization and switching to new improved technologies to name a few focus areas for APM Terminals Rotterdam“, concludes van Kerkhof.

APM Terminals Rotterdam is one of the busiest terminals in the company’s Global Terminal Network serving more than 11 mother vessels, 20 feeder vessels and 160 barge calls per week. The terminal also handles more than 5500 container trucks a week and 3000 containers a week moved by rail to inland European locations.

Other “Green” initiatives undertaken by APM Terminals globally have included the co-development of a more fuel-efficient “Eco-RTG” in collaboration with Siemens, AG, with more than 100 RTGs in use throughout the Global Terminal Network; the use of on-dock rail and advanced gate processing to reduce emissions from the heavy truck traffic associated with terminal activities.