It was reported on 21 November thatHutchison Ports BEST terminal has installed 1,832 solar panels on almost half an hectare of its buildings. BEST has already contracted electricity with a 100% renewable origin guarantee at the beginning of 2022, and thus maintains its strong commitment to the decarbonisation of the sector.

This is an auto-supply installation capable of generating 1.18 GWh of electricity, equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of about 200 homes. The installed power is almost 1 MWh (833.56 kWh). The company in charge of installing the panels is Solar Profit.

Estefanía Soler, head of sustainability at BEST, stated: ‘These efforts contribute to further reducing the terminal's carbon footprint, with BEST's emissions being 65% lower than conventional manual terminals’.

On 18 November, BEST received a visit from a delegation from the Port of Barcelona, with Damià Calvet as the highest authority, to see the installation of the solar panels in situ. Calvet stated that: ‘In the Port Community of Barcelona we are working together to promote the decarbonisation of port activity. Achieving the goal of having a carbon neutral port is everyone's responsibility and actions such as this one by BEST are the way to achieve it.’

BEST is one of the most sustainable terminals in the Mediterranean thanks to its operations model, based on semi-automation and the use of mostly electric cranes, which in turn generates very high productivity.

High terminal productivity helps shipping lines reduce the time spent in port and the speed of travel to the next port, which reduces air emissions and the vessel's carbon footprint. In addition, BEST is working with the Barcelona Port Authority to electrify its quay and allow ships to connect to electricity during their stay at the terminal.

Carbon footprint is a very important issue for shipping companies, especially now, as new European regulations have introduced shipping into the carbon market and the IMO requires reporting on the energy efficiency of ships and their carbon intensity.

The company’s goal is to help supply chains become sustainable. Citizens demand sustainable products and that means sustainable logistics.

This solar panel initiative is part of BEST's sustainability strategy and reinforces its commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 7 of the 2030 Agenda on Affordable and Clean Energy.

BEST was inaugurated ten years ago and is a benchmark in terms of sustainability within the terminals of the Hutchison Ports group, which operates 52 terminals in 26 countries.

Finally, it is important to note that the group’s commitment to rail and to removing lorries from the road to reduce atmospheric emissions. In ten years, BEST has increased local rail traffic in the Port of Barcelona from 3% to 20%. This is thanks to BEST's own rail terminal, investment in inland intermodal terminals in northern Spain (in Zaragoza, Noain, Villafría, Agoncillo and Miranda de Ebro) and the creation of its rail operator, Synergy, which helps to extend the Port of Barcelona's area of influence.

About BEST and Hutchison Ports

Hutchison Ports BEST is the first semi-automated terminal of the Hutchison Ports group and the most technologically advanced port development project in Spain. It is capable of serving multiple mega-ships simultaneously and has an eight-track railway facility, the biggest on-dock railway terminal of any port in the Mediterranean, connecting it to traffic coming from, and destined for, Southern Europe.

Hutchison Ports BEST is a member of Hutchison Ports, the ports and related services division of CK Hutchison Holdings Limited (CK Hutchison). Hutchison Ports is the world's leading port investor, developer and operator with a network of port operations in 52 ports spanning 26 countries throughout Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, the Americas and Australasia. Over the years, Hutchison Ports has expanded into other logistics and transportation-related businesses, including cruise ship terminals, distribution centres, rail services and ship repair facilities.