Reaching a tipping point in battery-electric Container Handling Equipment

One step toward decarbonizing our ports: a roadmap to container handling equipment electrification.

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Overview

Container Handling Equipment (CHE) is a critical enabler of port operations, accounting for 90% of global trade across the world’s 940 container ports. In 2020 alone, the global fleet of CHE enabled the transportation of 815 million TEUs but was also responsible for emitting 10-15 million tonnes of carbon dioxide whilst doing so.

Research has found that the challenges hampering the uptake of battery-electric CHE can be mostly overcome.

INSIDE THE PAPER

DP World Container at the Port

A critical enabler of seaborne transport

Container Handling Equipment (CHE) is a critical enabler of seaborne transport, which has a lower carbon footprint than land or airborne transport and accounts for 90% of global trade.

INSIDE THE PAPER 2

A lower cost of ownership and greater efficiency

Battery-electric Container Handling Equipment (BE-CHE) is preferred over hydrogen-electric CHE due to a lower cost of ownership and greater efficiency.

INSIDE THE PAPER 3

Challenges can be overcome with industry-wide collaboration

While cheaper than hydrogen-electric, battery-electric CHE faces affordability and accessibility challenges which can be overcome with the right actions from industry stakeholders.

STRATEGY

HOW WE’RE MAKING 
IT HAPPEN

Quay crane

Terminal Operators

  • Re-think the way terminals operate
  • Develop terminal-level electrification roadmaps
  • Identify workforce training requirements
  • Increase / scale up demand
Mechanical

Original Equipment Manufacturers

  • Cooperate to develop technology standards
icon - WP-CHE - Authorities

Port Authorities & Affiliated Government Entities

  • Incentivize the transition to zero-emission CHE fleets
  • Make zero-emission CHE a requirement in new proposals
  • Provide financing for the required infrastructure
  • Ensure clean air mandates for CHE
Cargo Ship

Shipping Lines

  • Identify requirements for end-to-end zero-emission supply chains
  • Include zero-emission CHE in green shipping corridor requirements
Straddle Carrier at Southampton

Collective, industry-wide action is needed to achieve affordable and attractive battery-electric CHE that can be used globally.

Zepa meeting

THE ZERO EMISSION PORT ALLIANCE

The Zero Emission Port Alliance (ZEPA) is an industry-wide strategic coalition with the goal of accelerating the journey to zero emissions for container handling equipment (CHE) on ports.

APM Terminals & DP World

Based on research from the recent whitepaper developed jointly by APM Terminals and DP World, the alliance will work to increase industry wide-adoption of battery-electric CHE by making it more affordable, attractive and accessible.

This will be done across four workstreams, each with a different objective 
to overcome challenges:

icon - WP-CHE - Production

Production

Encourage scaled up production capacity of BE-CHE by manufacturers & reduce product costs.

icon - WP-CHE - Pricing

Pricing & platform

Bring down the cost of batteries and charging solutions, simplify implementation and increase equipment interoperability.

Electricity

Preparation

Ensure terminal operators and the grid infrastructure are ready for BE-CHE & shore power roll-out.

icon - WP-CHE - Promotion

Promotion

Create better implementation conditions for zero-emission fleets and help accelerate adoption of zero-emission CHE.

Nicolaj Noes

REACHING A TIPPING POINT IN BATTERY-ELECTRIC CONTAINER HANDLING EQUIPMENT

Warehouses

Our Sustainability initiatives and commitments: leading the industry toward a more sustainable future.

Zepa meeting

APM Terminals and DP World launch Zero Emission Port Alliance at COP28 

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