Logistics initiatives for greater climate protection.

The world’s first certified climate-neutral handling facility for containers – HHLA’s Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA) in Hamburg – makes this clear. Operations at CTA are primarily powered by green electricity. Processes that still cause carbon emissions are gradually being electrified. HHLA is offsetting its remaining carbon emissions by supporting climate-friendly projects that have been granted the highest Gold Standard certification in accordance with Voluntary Emission Reduction (VER). These include the installation and operation of wind farms in Turkey and Chile.

Seaborne handling at CTA is managed by 14 electric container gantry cranes, which are already powered by 100 percent green energy. In addition, there are approximately 100 automated guided vehicles (AGVs), which transport the containers from the bridges to the warehouse. Around 90 percent of the AGVs operate using only green electricity. Until the end of this year, all AGVs will have converted to fast-charging, ecofriendly lithium-ion batteries also powered by green electricity.

At its METRANS subsidiary, HHLA is going one decisive step further. METRANS, the market leader for container transport in seaport-hinterland traffic in Central, Eastern and Southern Europe, shifts containers from road to rail. In reality, this means that 20 of our inland terminals, carbonoptimised trains and wagons, as well as energy-efficient e-locomotives and light-duty wagons allow for flexible and climate-friendly transport, thereby significantly reducing transport-related carbon emissions. Since the beginning of 2021, carbon emissions from METRANS trains to and from Hamburg, Bremerhaven and Koper have been offset by HHLA Pure projects granted the highest Gold Standard certification in accordance with the VER standard.

In practice, this means that while an average transport by train from the Container Terminal Altenwerder in Hamburg to Warsaw causes about 240 kg CO2 /TEU (calculated with Ecotrans IT), only 130 kg CO2 /TEU are released by METRANS trains, all of which are offset by climate protection projects. In this way, HHLA promotes climate action both through its logistics and customer networks and demonstrates that climate-friendly transport chains are now possible.

Recognition for the HHLA spin-off Modility shows that crosssector networking is a key feature of modern and environmentally conscious logistics. The digital container transport booking portal for intermodal transport in Europe was awarded the Excellence Prize 2022 in the “Strategy, Transformation & New Work” category. Via Modility connects suppliers and customers in the transport sector that are offering or seeking carbon-friendly transport solutions. Market operators can easily offer rail and transport solutions and available transport capacities, as well as parking spaces, or book them as required.

The continuous development of logistics initiatives clearly shifts the future focus of the transport market to a win-win combination of economic efficiency and sustainability. With strong economic tailwinds and readily available opportunities to optimise carbon emissions in the long term, the EU climate targets enshrined in the Green Deal can be achieved more quickly.