Port of Heysham switches to green fleet

The Port of Heysham has taken a major step towards becoming carbon neutral by investing in green vehicles and machinery.

The port has announced that all of its vehicles, plant equipment, forklift trucks, tug masters and ancillary equipment are now operating on either electricity or Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO).

HVO uses plant-based oils in its composition which reduces CO2 emissions to the atmosphere by up to 90 per cent, and direct emissions of particulate matter, such as dust, smoke and other fine materials, by up to 65 cent. HVO can be substituted directly for diesel fuel and is broadly considered a greener option to diesel due to its lower NOx emissions.

Lewis McIntyre, managing director, port services at Peel Ports Group said: “We are transitioning our entire vehicle fleet and landside equipment to run on either electric or HVO in our drive to become net zero across the group by 2040.

“While HVO as a transition fuel offers a significant improvement, we are working with manufacturers and suppliers to explore longer-term solutions for the next generation of landside equipment.

“Heysham requires less machinery and equipment in its operations compared to some of our larger ports; this means we’ve been able to reduce emissions much faster as part our conversion plans."

The Port of Heysham handles a wide range of cargo including Roll-on Roll-off, agri-bulks, automotive, project cargo and energy products, as well as offering significant warehousing and storage facilities.