Tecon Salvador pioneer in keeping fully electric tractor fleet

The Container Terminal of the Port of Salvador (Tecon Salvador) stands as a pioneer in the Americas and one of the world’s first to operate with only fully electric yard tractors.

The acquisition of 12 units of such vehicles took place in September 2023. According to the company. such a move would result in the reduction of up to 341 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. According to Tecon Salvador’s Executive Director, Demir Lourenço, these new units already represent 25% of the fleet.

In addition to the tractors, electric cranes with regenerative energy systems are also in operation at the port based in the capital city of Bahia. According to the executive, in 2011, the company acquired the first equipment with this technology in the country. This system ensures that energy is generated during container descent, stored in capacitors, and reused in the next crane movement. Among the benefits of using electric equipment are savings on fossil fuels and maintenance costs.

The concern for sustainability is further evident with the acquisition of new tugboats from Wilson Sons, the first in Brazil to meet the IMO TIER III standard established by the International Maritime Organization. These tugboats help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with an estimated decrease of up to 14% in fossil fuel consumption.

The company’s business diversification includes, in addition to two container terminals (in Bahia and Rio Grande do Sul), over 80 tugboats in more than 30 ports and terminals along the Brazilian coast; two shipyards in Guarujá (SP); over 20 Brazilian-flagged offshore support vessels; two offshore support bases in Guanabara Bay (RJ); a customs logistics center in Santo André (SP); and one of Brazil’s largest independent maritime agencies.

The following chart compares container exports and imports between January 2022 and December 2023 at the Port of Salvador, according to the DataLiner maritime intelligence service by Datamar.

Salvador Port | Exports and Imports | Jan 2022 – Dec 2023 | TEU

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

Investments in Salvador

Wilson Sons’ investments in the container terminal in the capital of Bahia have exceeded R$1 billion. This includes the completion last year of another expansion phase: the doubling of the main docking pier, which increased from 377 to 800 meters, along with the paving of 30,800 square meters of back area. This allows the terminal to fully accommodate New Panamax ships (366m), also known as “super ships,” due to their size.

Source: Trbn.com

Click here to read the original news report in Portuguese: https://www.trbn.com.br/materia/I101915/terminal-de-conteineres-tera-frota-de-tratores-eletricos

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