DP WORLD’S container terminal at Southampton had its “greenest ever” year in 2022, with carbon emissions dropping 55 per cent, the company says.

The news comes after the deep water port became the first in the UK to eliminate fossil diesel from its operations and move to hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) as a fuel.

Steve McCrindle, DP World’s port operations director at Southampton, said: “We are delighted by the progress we have made on our green journey since moving to sustainable HVO last April.

"The transition away from fossil diesel means that the overwhelming majority of the fuel used at Southampton now comes from a green and renewable source.

“We will use HVO for the entirety of 2023 and therefore expect a further 35 per cent net reduction in carbon emissions from our fleet and installations by the end of the year, making for a 90 per cent reduction compared with 2021.

"This sector-leading performance shows our commitment to playing our part in helping the UK meet its Net Zero 2050 policy.”

HVO is a renewable biodiesel derived from sustainable sources. As well as lowering carbon dioxide emissions, reduces levels of nitrogen oxide, particulate matter and carbon monoxide.

DP World runs ports at Southampton and London Gateway, with access to freight rail terminals and an expanding logistics park near the capital.

The company estimates the switch from diesel to HVO at the port saves around 14,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually – the equivalent of taking more than 8,000 family cars off the roads.

Southampton has the highest proportion of containers moved by rail in the UK, at up to 30 per cent.

DP World says this, combined with its efforts at London Gateway, means around 300,000 trucks are taken off UK roads each year.

A £350million fourth berth at London Gateway, which is expected to increase capacity by a third when it opens in 2024, will be all-electric. The company also uses the UK’s first all-electric terminal tractor.

Dubai-headquartered DP World operates ports, terminals and logistics businesses on six continents. It says it has earmarked a further £1billion for investment in the UK over the next 10 years, including in rail.

It plans to invest up to 500m US dollars in cutting carbon emissions by nearly 700,000 tonnes over the next five years – a 20 per cent cut from 2021 levels. The reduction will be achieved by electrification, investing in renewable power and exploring alternative fuels, it says.

It aims to be a carbon neutral business by 2040 and says it has a “roadmap” to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 across its global network.

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