Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) is increasing its efforts to protect the climate and conserve resources. The aim is to make the entire Group climate neutral by 2040. The already successfully implemented sustainability strategy will now be realised under the Balanced Logistics brand. HHLA thereby underscores its commitment to be both economically successful as well as socially and ecologically responsible.
Angela Titzrath, Chairwoman of HHLA’s Executive Board: “The people of Hamburg can rely on HHLA. We are well aware of our responsibility to protect the climate and that is why we are implementing specific measures for efficient and more sustainable container handling and environmentally friendly transport chains.”
Regardless of the dynamic that the climate protection debate
has taken on recently, HHLA has been making a significant effort to increase
the energy efficiency of its processes, conserve resources and consistently
reduce emissions for many years now. “The self-imposed target to reduce CO2
emissions per handled container by at least 30 percent by 2020 was thus
achieved ahead of time last year. We are now setting new targets. We’re working
on halving our absolute CO2 emissions by 2030 compared to the figures from
2018. The aim is to make the entire HHLA Group climate neutral by 2040,” Chairwoman
Angela Titzrath adds.
HHLA believes that intelligent, sustainable solutions are an opportunity for new business models and raising added value. “Those who invest in innovative, climate-friendly technologies at an early stage achieve sustainable results faster, which is to the benefit of shareholders, customers, staff members and society”, said Angela Titzrath. This means looking into new technologies without prejudice in order to tackle head-on the challenges that we will face in the future.
One area of action is the Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA), which became the first handling facility for containers in the world to be certified climate neutral by TÜV Nord in 2019. The quayside facility located in Hamburg is one of the most technologically modern and efficient container terminals in the world and has been in continual advancement since it commenced operations in 2002. Operations at CTA are now primarily powered by green electricity. Terminal processes that still produce CO2 emissions today will be gradually electrified, or their transition to electrical power will be field-tested.
HHLA compensates for CO2 emissions that are still being generated through emissions reduction certificates, thereby supporting environmentally friendly projects that are certified according to the highest gold standard of Voluntary Emission Reduction (VER) including wind farms in India, low-friction anti-fouling paint for ship hulls and reforestation of rainforests in Panama. CTA’s CO2 footprint will be reviewed again by TÜV Nord next year. It can be assumed that the need to compensate will decrease as the electrification of the terminal continues to progress.
The measures HHLA is implementing do not stop at the quayside; in addition to further optimising its own facilities, networking with other logistics players also offers much potential. The company has developed HHLA Pure, a product that can ensure climate neutral transport chains from the port into the European hinterland, making an important contribution to lowering transport-related CO2 emissions.
This product allows HHLA to combine the strength of Hamburg as the largest European rail port with the environmentally friendly rail transport offered by the intermodal company Metrans. The HHLA subsidiary uses energy efficient electric trains and lightweight flat wagons, which can transport more containers with the same train length.The forwarding company Jakob Weets and transport logistics company cargo-partner are both pilot customers for whom Metrans transports containers from the Port of Hamburg to Central and Eastern Europe.
If, for instance, the handling and rail transport of a 20-foot container from CTA to Prague, roughly 700 km away, generates a CO2 footprint of approximately 80 kg per standard container (TEU) this certified value can be compensated for with HHLA Pure. This offer enables customers to make their container transport climate friendly and increases competitiveness at the same time. Following a successful pilot phase HHLA Pure will be brought onto the market in 2020.
