Use of 100% renewable electricity at the Paranaguá Container Terminal guarantees TCP international certification

Committed to reducing the carbon footprint of its logistics and port operations, TCP, the company that manages the Paranaguá Container Terminal, has received I-REC (International Renewable Energy Certificate) certification for the second year running, recognizing that all the electricity used at the Terminal’s facilities was generated by renewable sources.

The latest I-REC certificate issued to TCP refers to consumption for the whole of 2023 and confirms the compensation of 80,264 MWh, a volume generated exclusively by hydroelectric plants. “Essential for connecting global trade, the port logistics sector plays an essential role in the transition to a greener economy, and the Terminal recognizes its role in this scenario, setting increasingly ambitious goals in this direction. That’s why, since 2022, we have had a contractual commitment to purchase electricity generated solely by renewable sources over the coming years,” says Rafael Stein, TCP’s institutional and legal manager.

The measure is part of TCP’s medium and long-term strategic investment plan, which aims to always combine increased productivity at the Paranaguá Container Terminal with sustainable initiatives in port operations. One example is the 45% increase in the number of plugs in the reefer area, from 3,624 to 5,268 plugs, positioning TCP as having the largest yard for storing refrigerated containers in South America.

The chart below uses DataLiner-derived data to show the top most exported containerized cargo shipped from TCP in the first six months of 2024.

TCP Top Exports | 2024 | TEUs

Source: DataLiner (click here to request a demo)

“The plugs in the reefer yard are responsible for a large part of the Terminal’s energy consumption. As we foresaw an expansion in the number of plugs and, consequently, in the demand for electricity, our strategy of acquiring clean energy before the project was completed has meant that the carbon footprint of port operations has remained stable, while our exports of refrigerated containers have increased,” says TCP’s health, safety and environment manager, Kayo Zaiats.

In addition to purchasing green energy, TCP has adopted other measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as converting two rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTG) from diesel to electricity, and purchasing a new electric bus to transport its employees around the 480,000 square meter yard of the Paranaguá Container Terminal.

“While we see an exponential growth in TCP’s productivity year after year, the carbon footprint of our operations goes in the opposite direction, and this has a positive impact on the entire logistics chain of exporters and importers who move cargo through the Terminal,” Zaiats points out.

Clean energy to move foreign trade

In 2024, TCP was one of the first Brazilian terminals to operate container ships powered by Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) on its quayside. Zaiats explains that “these vessels reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 28% on their voyages, as LNG replaces the fuel most often used on ships, called bunker, the burning of which emits a considerable amount of sulphur oxides into the atmosphere”.

Also to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases in port operations, in August 2023 TCP completed a pilot project to electrify two of its RTG cranes, used to move containers on the railroad that accesses the terminal yard. With the conversion, CO2 emissions in the operations of each piece of equipment, which weighs more than 100 tons, was reduced by 97%, while maintenance costs fell by approximately 90%.

In the same month, the terminal’s bus fleet received its first 100% electric vehicle, which guarantees zero emissions in the transportation of employees in the terminal’s 480,000 square meter yard, providing a sustainability gain in the operation, as well as greater safety and comfort for employees. Completely silent, the D9W 20.410 model, from the Chinese brand BYD, offers a range of 250 km per charge, as well as having a regenerative braking system, which helps to charge the battery whenever braking occurs.

“All these initiatives position TCP as a benchmark in sustainable port operations, as we act as a central hub in the logistics chain of exporters and importers who seek to reduce their carbon footprint when transporting their cargo through Paranaguá,” concludes Zaiats.

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