The Government of Spain, via the Moves Singular Projects II Programme, has granted 3.9 million euros to APM Terminals Barcelona to finance part of a pilot project for the electrification of the container handling equipment operating at the terminal, which is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 821 tonnes per year.

This world-first, innovative solution, is being developed in collaboration with its suppliers. It will include the acquisition of five zero-emission electric Straddle Carriers, four recharging stations, civil and electrical works, the IT network and the development of programmes and processes to implement the technology required for operations and recharging of the machinery. The aim is to provide greater understanding of the technical and economic viability of this emission-reducing project, optimise processes and investigate its scalability to other terminals where cargo is handled with similar machinery.

The Port of Barcelona acknowledged the project as essential to making progress in achieving the environmental objectives of the port and the city.

“At APM Terminals we are committed to reducing CO2 emissions and we will spare no effort in meeting our 2030 goals. For us it is very important that this is done in a collaborative way with the governments of the countries where we operate. If there is anything that definitely belongs to all of us, it is our planet,” said Carlos Arias, general manager of APM Terminals Spanish Gateways.

In addition to lower noise levels and improved air quality due to zero emissions – in line with APM Terminals’ overall objective to reduce CO2 emissions by 70% by 2030 and achieve CO2 neutrality by 2040. The project is also expected to bring benefits in terms of equipment availability, improved maintenance processes and the creation of a cleaner and safer working environment by significantly reducing the use of oil in daily operations and waste generation.

Renewable electricity

As well as the fact that the new electric Straddle Carriers are zero-emission, the electricity contracted by the terminal comes exclusively from renewable sources. This has been the case since 2018, and will continue to be so until at least 2032, according to the latest agreement reached with the distributor, in line with the company’s decarbonisation strategy.

APM Terminals is also working on machinery electrification pilot projects at other terminals to deliver clean, future-proofed facilities and end-to-end decarbonised supply chains, together with local and global partners, with an investment of $60 million. The Barcelona project is pioneering by winning the support of the Moves Singular Projects II Programme for Efficient and Sustainable Mobility, launched as part of the Spanish Government’s Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, and is financed by NextGenerationEU funds from the European Union. The cranes are expected to arrive in Barcelona during the third quarter of 2024, with testing to take place until the second quarter of 2025.