The Port of Barcelona has reduced its CO2 emissions by 20% and is planning to achieve further decreases through shore power, electric mobility and use of liquefied natural gas (LNG).
The Spanish hub has become the first port in the world to receive a Lean & Green initiative award, promoted by the Association of Manufacturers and Distributors (AECOC), for delivering a one-fifth drop in its carbon footprint over a maximum period of five years through a set of concrete actions.
In Barcelona’s case, 2016 was used as the baseline year while the key efficiency indicator as a method of measurement is tonnes of goods transported annually by the port’s facilities.
The port’s initial plan included the renewal of its vehicle fleet with 100% electric cars and motorcycles, which has reduced accumulated emissions by 50 tonnes of CO2eq.
The second action involves modernising public lighting with LED technology and saving emissions by acquiring 100% of its energy with a certification of origin from renewable sources, making a total reduction of almost 5,000 tonnes of CO2eq.
Port president Mercè Conesa stated: “This award shows once again that we are fully committed to the goals set by the EU and the IMO derived from the Paris Agreements for reducing emissions by 2030 and 2050 framed in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”.
She highlighted the main projects the Port of Barcelona will perform to reduce emissions including the Power to Ship, which will make it possible to connect ships to the electrical grid on the wharf, eliminating emissions from auxiliary engines while berthed at port.
Further initiatives include the commitment to electric mobility and the promotion of LNG as an alternative transition fuel for ships, trucks and terminal machinery to significantly reduce emissions and combat climate change.
Lean & Green is a European collaboration platform aimed at reducing supply chain emissions and achieving the goals set out by the Paris Climate Convention (COP21) on carbon-neutral emissions by 2050.
