The Port of Gothenburg has issued its sustainability report for 2016, for the fifth year in a row, indicating the important steps taken last year and also port’s objectives for 2025 to ensure sustainable growth in both the short and long terms.
Initiatives in 2016 included a greater focus on new marine fuels, and a Port Tariff that remained unchanged to help promote better business for its customers. Magnus Kårestedt, Port of Gothenburg Chief Executive, said:
“We are seeking to create long-term conditions that will allow our customers and partners to grow with us. This is taking place, and indeed must take place, based on economic, environmental and social sustainability, which are the three core dimensions.”
One of the main aspects of the port’s sustainability goals is the environmental responsibility. The Port works in a global level to minimise the environmental impact of shipping, helping operators as well to reduce their own emission footprint.
“By 2030 the carbon dioxide emissions from shipping within Gothenburg’s geographical area shall have declined by at least 20 per cent, compared with the corresponding emissions for the year 2010.” the Port states in its report.
The port’s environmental responsibility can be summarized in the following areas:
- Proactive environmental work on an international level: The port is internationally renowned for its proactive environmental work and is a world leader in this regard. The port was early to adopt initiatives including onshore vessel power supplies and rail shuttles to replace HGV transport. Since 2015 the port is a climate-neutral company.
- Positive customer incentives for a better environment: This includes rewarding vessels with good environmental performance, and for almost 20 years now the Port of Gothenburg has used environmentally differentiated port tariffs. Another measure is the way the port helps more vessels connect to onshore power supply.
- Considerable dedication to climate issues in the port: The Gothenburg Port Authority works sustainably to reduce its impact on the climate. The focus is on both reducing emissions and on helping customers and terminal operators to reduce theirs. The climate work is based on the City of Gothenburg’s own environmental and climate strategy programme. The Gothenburg Port Authority’s environmental programme includes a plan of action featuring a range of activities to reduce the company’s climate impact every year. The company’s own emissions have been cut by 60 per cent since 2010.
- Treatment of polluted soil: The Energy Port deals with large quantities of oilbased products, leading over the years to soil contamination. 2016 saw the start of a major maintenance project in the Energy Port, involving the replacement of sewage pipes and linking of the district heating infrastructure to the pipe-heating system. As a result, large quantities of soil were excavated and removed, marking yet another step toward a cleaner local environment.
Objectives for 2025
Through sustainable growth, in 2025, the Port anticipates to become:
- A market-oriented port company that creates the conditions for above-average volume growth
- A strong freight hub with the largest selection of lines in Scandinavia and the Baltic region
- A skills-driven company with employees who drive our development toward being a sustainable port
- An attractive workplace that assumes social responsibility and makes a positive difference to employment and inclusion in Gothenburg
- A respected innovator in sustainable transport concepts. The port’s environmental impact will be reduced by the extent required to contribute to the city’s local environmental targets
- A company with good financial viability that delivers a stable and sustainable profit to its owners
Further details may be found by reading the full report: