The goal – a fossil-free vehicle fleet and machine park

Björn Sandgren has worked at CMP since 2002, and today he works as “Head of Operations Management & Customer Delivery.” In his role, among the things he works with is the streamlining of the ship operations in both the Denmark and Sweden. Not only does the work revolves around, for instance optimising the handling of goods, but also about developing the port in a sustainable direction, related to CMP’s goal of being carbon neutral by 2025.

One significantly important part of the efforts to achieve CMP’s climate goal of carbon neutrality by 2025 is the replacement of diesel-powered cars and staff buses at the terminals with electric powered vehicles, and the shift of fuel from fossil diesel to HVO in machines and cranes.

"At the car terminal in Malmö, we have chosen to replace our cars, which were powered by diesel, with electric powered vehicles. This concerns both the cars our supervisors drive between the ships and our Shuttlebuses which our dockworkers travel in during loading and unloading of new cars at the terminal. At CMP, all electricity we purchase is eco-labelled and comes from renewable sources, such as hydro, wind, or solar power. This means that the shift to electricity is a really positive transition. The electric vehicles are already in place and electric powered Shuttlebuses will be delivered to us soon, which we are looking forward to,” reports Björn.

One of nine new electric vehicles at the car terminal in Malmö.

HVO – a fossil-free fuel

In Norra Hamnen, Malmö, CMP have replaced the fuel on which the machines operate from fossil diesel to HVO100. Hydrogenated vegetable oil, commonly referred to as HVO, is a fuel that can be produced from i.a. vegetable oils which have been processed to function as fossil-free fuel for diesel engines. HVO100 can be used as fuel in many existing diesel engines, without further adaptation.

"In May, we switched the fuel in our existing fuel pump from fossil diesel to HVO100, which means that we now fuel our tugmasters, which transport trailers on and off ships, and our reach stacker vehicles, which handle containers, with HVO100 instead of fossil diesel. Currently, in Malmö we have only two forklifts and twelve utility vehicles that are not yet compatible with HVO100. For these vehicles, we have established a plan to phase them out on as feasible, ensuring that our entire operation will be fossil-free within the next few years. The shift to electric vehicles and the change to a different kind of fuel not only has a positive impact on the environment, it also means an improved work environment with less emissions of hazardous particles, to the benefit of our personnel who are working out on the terminals,” says Björn.

The “Skalman” reach stacker which is running on HVO100.

We don’t have a Planet B.

The work of replacing the vehicle fleet is underway and continues on, on both the Danish and Swedish side. The last step is taken in Copenhagen, when the straddle carriers switch over to a renewable fuel, such as HVO or are modified to be electric powered when the new container terminal in Ydre Nordhavn is established.

“Our ultimate goal is for our entire vehicle fleet and machine park, in both Copenhagen and Malmö, to be fossil-free in the future. This is partly because we want to be able to offer our customers fossil-free handling at our terminals, irrespective of whether it concerns loading or unloading new cars, or if it concerns heavy handling of bulk goods. However, it is at least as important for us that we take our responsibility and use available sustainable solutions, and at the same time, try to find even better solutions in the future. We don’t have a Planet B. This is the world we have and we have to take care of it,” Björn concludes.