Sustainable and efficient port solutions

For centuries, ports have served as freight hubs, where international logistics chains between sea and land transport are linked together. The challenge to significantly reduce emissions from the maritime and transport sectors, highlights necessity for more integrated collaboration among stakeholders throughout the logistics value chain. Leveraging the opportunities presented by digitalization and data sharing will increase the efficiency and aid in achieving sustainability targets. Discovering methods to establish optimal conditions for sustainable and efficient trade will bolster competitiveness for all stakeholders along the logistics value chain.

“Sustainable and smart ports of the future” is a collaborative project between the Port of Gothenburg, Stena Line Scandinavia, Scania CV, Volvo Technology and Lindholmen Science Park. The purpose is to identify solutions in in various areas – land transport, port terminals and sea transport – to reduce emissions from the maritime and transport sectors and enhance the efficiency of goods transport. The ambition is to inspire by showcasing successful examples of sustainable and smart solutions already operational ports around the world. Thus, the journey towards more sustainable and smarter logistics value chains in ports has commenced, but there is still a considerable distance to go.  
 

Need for climate action

At the time of finalizing this report, COP28 in Dubai – the 28th annual United Nations (UN) climate meeting where governments will discuss how to limit and prepare for future climate change, is only a few weeks away. 

On 14 November 2023 a new report from UN Climate Change finds national climate action plans remain insufficient to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius and meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. Similarly, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has determined that emissions from maritime transports are projected to increase significantly if mitigation measures are not implemented swiftly. Under business-as-usual scenarios, the emissions will increase with 50% - 250% by 2050. 

Undoubtedly, there is an urgent call for climate action. Climate goals are established at various levels, including international, national, regional, local, and within companies. In this section, we will outline the current targets set by the UN, EU, Sweden, and the International Maritime Organization. 

The attached PDFs, provided by Chalmers Teknologkonsulter, are a global outlook with a report and a PowerPoint presentation on climate goals at UN, EU, and Swedish levels. The analysis aims to provide insights into similarities, differences, and trends regarding these goals. Additionally, the documents include tables outlining sustainability targets for global ports, Swedish ports, and international shipping lines, sourced from webpages and sustainability reports in Q2 2023. These tables offer insights for benchmarking and understanding sustainability efforts in the global maritime sector.