The Rijeka Gateway terminal in Croatia has secured electricity from renewable energy sources for the operation of its container terminal to reduce CO2 and other harmful gas emissions.
Renewable energy supply
The terminal in Rijeka – a joint venture between APM Terminals and ENNA Group – will have most of its equipment electrified and largely remotely operated and, when fully operational, will create 300 jobs.
The contract for the use of renewable electricity has been active since the beginning of construction and will continue during the terminal’s operational phase. Renewable energy is sourced from solar and wind power, and ENNA Next – a supplier of electricity – issues green certificates to ensure that the entire supply comes from renewable sources.
“ENNA Next is pleased to begin cooperation with Rijeka Gateway in supplying renewable energy. As one of the leading energy suppliers in Croatia, we purchase renewable electricity from over 800 producers in Croatia and Germany. In addition to standard electricity and gas products, we pay special attention to developing renewable energy sources for our customers,” said Nenad Ukropina, board member of ENNA Next.
“We have launched several initiatives that can help us become one of the most sustainable terminals in this part of the world. One of these initiatives is the use of renewable energy sources. As a large consumer of electricity, we believe that using sustainable energy sources is a vital step in achieving the terminal’s long-term sustainability,” commented Peter Corfitsen, CEO of Rijeka Gateway.
Reducing light, noise and marine pollution
Rijeka Gateway is also working on a number of other fronts to protect the environment. For example, the terminal will be equipped with a water management and drainage system to address the issue of marine pollution. Light pollution will also be reduced, with automated lighting systems ensuring that inactive parts of the terminal will not be illuminated when they are not in use.
Several measures will also be introduced to keep noise levels below the legally permitted limits. These include a system that supplies ships with electricity from shore, reducing the need to run ship engines. All cranes at the terminal will use soft landing technology to reduce container loading noise. Moreover, new types of sound signals will be used throughout the terminal, replacing traditional beeping with less intrusive white noise.
“From the inception of this project, we wanted Rijeka Gateway to be more than just a generator of economic prosperity for Rijeka, the rest of Croatia and the region. We want to be a good neighbor, doing everything we can to minimize the terminal’s impact on the environment and the local community while creating jobs and sustainable growth opportunities,” added Rijeka Gateway CEO Corfitsen.
According to the company, APM Terminals is the largest consumer of electricity within the Maersk group, making the transition to terminal operations based on renewable electricity a crucial element in the group’s decarbonization efforts.
APM Terminals is also continuously working to electrify its terminals as part of its target to reach net zero by 2040. This goal makes the transition to renewable energy resources vital. Operating Rijeka Gateway on renewable energy supports Maersk in the ambition of using 100% renewable electricity by 2030 to decrease Scope 2 emissions.
In related news, Maersk recently co-hosted Japan’s first methanol bunkering simulation at the Port of Yokohama. Click here to read the full story.