Gothenburg's port cluster is driving the sustainable shipping of the future

With innovative measures, the Gothenburg port cluster is positioning itself as a global pioneer in sustainable shipping and green energy solutions. Therese Jällbrink, Head of Renewable Energy at Göteborgs Hamn AB, talks about the port’s world-leading work towards sustainably transitioning the supply chain together with partners in the Gothenburg freight hub.

How is Göteborgs Hamn AB working to reduce its climate impact?
Together with the port cluster’s players, we are working intensively on both short-term and long-term measures. Close cooperation with the players in the freight hub is crucial, as they are often the ones who pay for the infrastructure and drive sustainability work forward together with us. We are excited to collaborate with APM Terminals and other actors in the freight hub who share our sustainability goals and vision of becoming a large-scale energy hub – a journey we have recently begun.

What measures are important, now and in the future, to support the transition to green shipping?
One initiative is to give up to a 20% discount on the port tariff based on the ships’ environmental performance. However, we are noticing that this is not a sufficient incentive as there are major cost gaps and other obstacles for shipping companies to transition. It is therefore particularly pleasing that several large shipping companies have placed orders for vessels operating on renewable fuel. For example, we are seeing almost 200 methanol-fuelled vessels in the order books, which I think will have a domino effect.

Considering that ships account for 80% of emissions in the port area, we are focusing on reducing these through both shore power and other green alternative ship fuels. The port aims to offer shore connections well before it becomes a legal requirement in 2030. However, access to electricity is a major challenge.

In 2023, the port cluster in Gothenburg made history with the world’s first ship-to-ship bunkering of methanol. The future points to green alternatives such as green methanol, HVO, LBG, and in the long term, ammonia as possible bunker fuels. We have a bunker vessel capable of handling methanol in the port, ready to supply shipping lines.

Last year, we also kick started some of the world’s first green corridors between Gothenburg-Rotterdam and Gothenburg-Ghent.

Is the Port of Gothenburg at the forefront of these issues from a global perspective?
Through active participation in international collaborations and unique sustainability measures, the Gothenburg port cluster is positioning itself at the forefront of the global green transition. This gives us great opportunities to exercise influence, even though we are a small port from a global perspective.

What impact does the implementation of the Emissions Trading System (ETS) have on the supply chain?
Regulations that reduce maritime emissions are welcome. They create a positive competitive situation and set high environmental requirements on the entire market. The effect we are seeing is

that the cost of the emission rights is being added to the freight and is ultimately reaching the end consumer. However, when new regulations are introduced, it is important that all types of traffic are taken into account so it doesn’t result in goods being moved to poorer alternatives. Our ambition is to create green logistics chains so that the big picture is in focus.