CTA Hamburg the only climate-neutral transshipment terminal worldwide

The Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA) of HHLA has been recertified as climate-neutral by TÜV Nord. This makes CTA the only climate-neutral transshipment terminal in the world. The entire group aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2040.

(Hamburg) The HHLA Container Terminal Altenwerder has significantly reduced its emissions of harmful CO2. After TÜV Nord first certified the state-of-the-art facility as climate-neutral last year, this designation has now been reaffirmed. Thus, the CTA is and remains the only certified climate-neutral container terminal in the world. However, this development is by no means complete. By 2040, Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) aims to be climate-neutral. The CTA plays an important role in achieving this goal.

Angela Titzrath, Chairwoman of the HHLA Executive Board: “Anyone who knows HHLA knows that we will not be satisfied with what we have achieved. Even though climate and environmental protection have taken a back seat due to the Corona pandemic, this does not mean that the need for action has diminished. HHLA remains committed to its climate protection goals despite current challenges.” This means halving absolute CO2 emissions based on 2018 levels by 2030 and achieving climate neutrality for the entire group by 2040.

With its goals, HHLA is among the pioneers in the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg. The new red-green coalition agreement cites the CTA as a model for the goal of climate neutrality for the Port of Hamburg by 2040 set by the governing parties.

With technological excellence to a climate-neutral company

HHLA views technological excellence and process efficiency as key factors in developing sustainable solutions, enabling ecological action and successful business operations. The renewed TÜV certification of the CTA demonstrates how technical innovation, automation, and digitalization make climate-neutral container handling possible.

The 14 container bridges for water-side handling, the 52 fully electrified portal cranes in the container block storage, as well as the four rail portal cranes at the largest terminal station in Europe – all are powered 100 percent by green electricity. Half of the approximately 100 container transporters (Automated Guided Vehicles/AGV) used at the CTA already operate with lithium-ion batteries. By the end of this year, two-thirds of the fleet and by 2022 all AGVs are to be converted to fast-charging battery technology.

Avoid, reduce, compensate

The focus of technical development is on avoiding or reducing CO2 emissions under economic conditions. For terminal processes where this is not yet possible due to a lack of viable technical solutions, HHLA relies on compensation through emission reduction certificates. The goal is to consistently reduce this compensation share further. Last year, the CO2 footprint at the CTA was reduced by another 6.4 percent, which means less needs to be compensated. At the same time, work is being done with manufacturers to develop new technical solutions. For example, prototype tests with battery-powered tractors for use between block storage and terminal station are currently taking place in land-side handling.

Titzrath: “Since its opening in 2002, the CTA has been continuously developed and now also serves HHLA as a research and testing laboratory for new, promising technologies. Solutions that have proven themselves here are often later implemented at terminal facilities around the world.”

Balanced Logistics: The path to greater sustainability

Under the guiding principle of Balanced Logistics, HHLA consolidated its sustainability strategy at the end of last year and defined measures in nine action areas along with specific guidelines and goals. With the implementation of its “Balanced Logistics” strategy, HHLA aligns ecological, social, and economic responsibility. In the now published sustainability report, HHLA demonstrates how it achieves the defined goals through solutions and projects.

Download Sustainability Report

Photo: © HHLA

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