DP World has planned to accelerate its adoption of renewable energy at the Port of Santos as a step in its global strategy to achieve carbon neutrality.
This move comes three months after DP World announced a $38 million investment to modernise and expand its facilities located on the left bank of the Port of Santos.
The initial phase focuses on replacing diesel fuel with electric power for the Santos terminal’s Rubber-Tyred Gantry (RTG) container handling cranes.
A total of 22 diesel-fueled units will be electrified with an investment over BRL80 million ($16.7 million).
According to DP World, the first RTG machine in the fleet already operates sustainably on 100 per cent electric power.
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Additionally, it is reported that by the end of 2023, another four of these machines will be converted.
The electrification process works through a system of overhead cables similar to electric buses.
Applying this innovative technology to RTGs is slated to reduce the terminal’s diesel consumption by up to 60 per cent.
Fábio Siccherino, CEO of DP World Santos, explained: “The conversion of the RTGs is a critical step in our decarbonisation efforts and aligns with our overall focus on sustainability.
“In addition to improved environmental care and climate performance, this change is also expected to bring additional operational benefits, as the technology offers low maintenance costs, increased productivity of the RTGs, and improved equipment reliability.”
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DP World’s Executive Vice President, International Projects Mohammed Al Muallem met with Geraldo Alckmin, Vice President of Brazil in Brasilia this week to discuss cooperation and DP World’s planned investments at the Port of Santos.
DP World has reportedly invested $35 million this year to expand and modernise its facilities.
The company has an extra 130,000 square metres of port space available for growth and has been working on cargo diversification and developing logistics solutions.
The Santos terminal is one of the largest and most modern private multi-purpose port terminals in Brazil.
The expansion is set to increase annual container handling capacity from 1.2 million TEU to 1.4 million TEU and expand the size of the quay from 1,100 metres to 1,300 metres.
This is DP World’s third round of investment since it began operations in July 2013.
In October 2022, it was reported that DP World handled 59.6 million TEU terminals in the first nine months of the year in spite of decelerated growth rates.
