Climate-friendly Supply Chains

This is evident, for example, at the climate-friendly HHLA Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA) in Hamburg. CTA operations are mainly electrified with green electricity. Processes that still cause CO2 emissions are gradually being converted to electrified operation. The aim is to directly reduce emissions. We compensate for the remaining CO2 emissions by supporting climate-friendly projects that are certified to the highest Gold Standard according to the VER (Voluntary Emission Reduction) Standard. These include the installation and operation of wind turbines in Turkey.

Seaborne handling at CTA is carried out by 14 electric container gantry cranes, which already run entirely on green electricity. In addition, there are around 100 self-driving transporters, known as automated guided vehicles (AGVs), which transport the containers from the gantry cranes to the yard. These AGVs, which are equipped with lithium-ion batteries and are purely electrically powered, are supplied with electricity from renewable sources. 

At our subsidiary Metrans, we are going a decisive further step. Metrans, the market leader for container transport in seaport-hinterland traffic in Central, Eastern and Southern Europe, is shifting container transport from road to rail. In practice, this means that 20 of its own inland terminals, CO2-optimised train and wagon material, as well as energy-efficient electric locomotives and lightweight carrying wagons enable flexible and climate-friendly transport – and thus a major contribution to reducing transport-related CO2 emissions. The remaining transport- and transhipment-related CO2 emissions on almost all routes in the Metrans network are offset by the HHLA Pure offer in accordance with the highest Gold Standard under 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 compensated by climate protection projects. In this way, we at HHLA promote climate action both through our logistics and customer networks and demonstrate that climate-friendly transport chains are now possible.

Recognition for our 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.