The terminal operator and intermodal rail & road service provider has announced its ambition to become a climate neutral company by 2040.
"[…] 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," Angela Titzrath, Chairwoman of HHLA's Executive Board, said.
She then highlighted the company's up-to-date eco-efforts, "The self-imposed target to reduce CO2 emissions per handled container by at least 30% 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."
Specifically, the company's Port of Hamburg-located Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA) has been certified as climate neutral by TÜV Nord. CTA operations are now primarily powered by green electricity and HHLA compensates for CO2 emissions that are still being generated through emission reduction certificates, thereby supporting environmentally-friendly projects that are certified according to the highest gold standard of Voluntary Emission Reduction (VER; incl. wind farms in India; low-friction, anti-fouling ship hull paint; and reforestation of rainforests in Panama). Terminal processes that still produce CO2 emissions will be gradually electrified, or their transition to electric power will be field-tested. The CTA's CO2 footprint will be again reviewed by TÜV Nord in 2020.
In addition, the company has developed HHLA Pure, with which the company wants to establish for its clients climate neutral port-hinterland transport chains in Europe. "The forwarding company Jakob Weets and transport logistics company cargo-partner are both pilot customers for whom Metrans [HHLA's rail intermodal arm] 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. […] Following a successful pilot phase HHLA Pure will be brought onto the market in 2020," the company wrote in a press release.
HHLA will move towards the 2040 goal under the new 'Balanced Logistics' brand, which Titzrath explained as "[…] finding a balance between economic success, good working conditions, social responsibility and environmental and climate protection." In this regard she also said, "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."
Photo: HHLA/Redaktion 4