Over 250 ship owners and operators using the PortsDirect platform will be able to take advantage of Svitzer’s new EcoTow towage solution to reduce in-port emissions and drive sustainability in their supply chains

PortsDirect, the leading company for the structured procurement of discounted rate agreements with quality port services providers for the benefit of its customers, today announced a landmark partnership with Svitzer, a global towage operator and part of A.P. Moller-Maersk. The collaboration will give PortsDirect’s 250 ship owning and operating customers the ability to choose Svitzer’s new carbon-neutral EcoTow service.

Svitzer’s 10 EcoTow tugs powered by marine biofuel in London and Medway operate entirely on Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (HVO) – an ISSC and RSB-certified sustainable second-generation biofuel produced by using waste material such as used cooking oil as feedstocks. The biofuel reduces carbon emissions by 100% on a tank-to-wake basis and 90% on a well-to-wake basis compared to marine diesel.

By choosing to use EcoTow, PortsDirect’s customers will be able to lower their Scope 3 emissions, which make up the majority of a company’s carbon footprint and improve the sustainability of their supply chains. Svitzer will partner with an independent auditor which will enable the organisation to provide PortsDirect customers with a CO2 savings certificate compliant with regulatory authorities.

For ship owners and operators, PortsDirect’s services include the provision of discounted rate agreements for port services such as towage, launches and pilotage. PortsDirect also deals with the management and administration of such service agreements for the benefit of its customers which takes away the time and hassle of negotiating separate contracts with individual suppliers, and enables them to benefit from PortsDirect’s discounts, saving money every year.

Commenting on the partnership, Kenny Bjergstad, Managing Director, PortsDirect, said:“Our customers recognise the importance of reducing their CO2 emissions and supporting the rest of the industry in meeting shipping’s decarbonisation pathway and targets. The entire supply chain is under scrutiny for where efficiency gains can be made and our partnership with Svitzer provides our customers with the opportunity to address and further improve their Scope 3 emissions within the port environment, improving their sustainability, but also their competitiveness in the eyes of counterparties.  We remain committed to always supporting them in meeting their own sustainability strategies and targets in what is the biggest challenge for the shipping industry.”

Sven Lumber, Head of EcoTow at Svitzer, said: “The reception for EcoTow in London and Medway has simply been fantastic, proving that the shipping industry is looking for solutions to help it make decarbonisation progress in the near term. Our innovative and world-first carbon-neutral towage solution is an obvious fit to be able to offer to PortsDirect’s customers, and we look forward to further collaboration as we work together to reduce the environmental impact of towage and other services in the port ecosystem.”