DP World goes fossil diesel free at London Gateway

Diesel-engine equipment and installations were switched over to run on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) at the start of January as part of London Gateway’s sustainability drive, which made significant progress last year towards electrification and the use of more carbon-efficient energy sources.  

HVO, a renewable biodiesel derived from sustainable sources, will significantly lower carbon dioxide emissions at the hub and is expected to save around 8,300 tonnes of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) in 2024 – equal to the annual emissions of more than 4,700 family cars.

DP World will deploy HVO at London Gateway throughout the entirety of 2024, with an expected 26% net reduction in the company’s total carbon emissions from its fleet and installations by the end of the year. The move follows DP World Southampton’s transition to HVO 18 months ago, which resulted in carbon emissions being cut by 90%.

Ahsan Agha, Vice President Port Operations at DP World London Gateway, said: “Transitioning from fossil diesel to Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) across our operations is critical to meeting our customer’s supply chain demands. The move demonstrates not only our goal of becoming a net zero carbon organisation by 2050 but also highlights our commitment to our customer’s sustainability success as well as our own.

“Alongside our unrivalled and unique array of assets and suite of capabilities at London Gateway, the adaptation of HVO helps our customers stay both competitive and carbon efficient in a fast changing and unpredictable trading environment.”

The sustainability benefits from the transition to HVO at London Gateway will be bolstered by the forthcoming £350m new fourth berth due to open this summer, which will be operated by eight new state-of-the-art fully electric straddle carriers. The £12m investment in the straddle carriers will further support and accelerate London Gateway’s energy transition, forming an integral part of the first all-electric fleet to go into commercial operation at a port anywhere in the world.

In addition to its UK hubs at London Gateway and Southampton, DP World’s offer includes logistics, forwarding and European transport capabilities, all of which are being integrated into the company’s global network. Operating in 78 countries, DP World handles 10 per cent of world trade.