The Government of Spain, via the Moves Singular Projects II Programme, has granted US$4.3 million to APM Terminals Barcelona to finance part of a pilot project for the electrification of the container handling equipment operating at the terminal, which is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 821 tonnes per year.

The project will include the acquisition of five zero-emission electric Straddle Carriers, four recharging stations, civil and electrical works, the IT network and the development of programmes and processes to implement the technology required for operations and recharging of the machinery.

The aim is to provide a greater understanding of the technical and economic viability of this emission-reducing project, optimise processes and investigate its scalability to other terminals where cargo is handled with similar machinery.

"At APM Terminals we are committed to reducing CO2 emissions and we will spare no effort in meeting our 2030 goals. For us it is very important that this is done in a collaborative way with the governments of the countries where we operate. If there is anything that definitely belongs to all of us, it is our planet," commented Carlos Arias, general manager of APM Terminals Spanish Gateways.

The project is also expected to bring benefits in terms of equipment availability, improved maintenance processes and the creation of a cleaner and safer working environment by significantly reducing the use of oil in daily operations and waste generation.

As well as the fact that the new electric Straddle Carriers are zero-emission, the electricity contracted by the terminal comes exclusively from renewable sources.