News / COP28: DP World and APMT aim to cut the cost of electrifying port operations

Photo: Kalmar

DP World and APM Terminals have formed the Zero Emission Port Alliance (ZEPA), which aims to lower the price of battery-electric port equipment through collective bargaining.

The two companies hope this will create a tipping point where ports inside and outside of the organisation are incentivised to electrify. Its efforts will begin in the new year, its founders say.

Although electrifying static or rail-mounted port equipment, such as quay cranes and RTGs, is straightforward through connections to grid power via cable, electrifying moving equipment like forklifts has been more challenging, since being in constant use they offer fewer opportunities for recharging.

Nevertheless, strategies have emerged at some ports: battery-powered automated guided vehicles (AGVs) are now working at California’s Long Beach, which has long dealt with air pollution concerns. Each AGV is powered by an 11-ton battery pack, which are swapped during the day to maintain machinery uptime.

AGVs have also been converted to battery power at Hamburg’s Altenwerder terminal (CTA), and Singapore has introduced 54 at its Tuas facility.

An October white paper, jointly published by APMT and DP World, found that when downtime for recharging was factored-in, the total cost of owning a terminal tractor, straddle carrier and reach-stacker was increased by 14%, 34%, and 15%, respectively. In each case, an increased purchase price was partially offset by the cheaper cost of electricity versus diesel fuel.

A “tipping point” would soon be reached, the white paper insisted, where the capital cost of electric port equipment would come down sufficiently to be “an unambiguously better choice”.

However, concerted action would also be needed by ports to “send strong demand signals to OEMs”; and shipping lines could help by “engaging with customers to identify requirements for end-to-end zero-emission supply chains”.

Jack Craig, global head of technical at APMT, said: “Our industry is in a strong position to drive real, meaningful change to decarbonise ports, and I believe the launch of the Zero Emission Port Alliance is a vital step in the right direction.

“It is apt for us to launch ZEPA at COP28, where so many significant conversations are taking place to achieve net zero. Today’s launch is a catalyst for collective decarbonisation action across the port industry and a signal to all our colleagues that we are serious about combatting climate change.”

The Loadstar’s coverage of COP28 is sponsored by EVERGREEN LINE: leading the development of a sustainable global container transportation system

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