Ocean Network Express, QTerminals Kramer Rotterdam partner to decarbonize port operations
- Ocean Network Express
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
Ocean Network Express (Europe) announced Oct. 3 that together with QTerminals Kramer Rotterdam (QTKR), the two have reduced emissions by as much as 500 metric tons of CO2 in just six months by implementing a biofuel scheme using 100 percent hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO100), also known as renewable diesel, a sustainable biofuel made from renewable raw materials for port-shunting operations.
HVO100, already proven in heavy-duty transport, can cut lifecycle-CO2 emissions by up to 90 percent compared with standard diesel.
It also produces far lower levels of particulate matter and nitrogen oxides.
This joint initiative marks a significant step forward in QTKR and ONE’s partnership to decarbonize port logistics.
It shows how readily available alternatives can deliver immediate results while longer-term solutions, including electrification, are developed.
By targeting emissions in port operations, a critical link in the container-supply chain, both companies are demonstrating how practical change at a local level can accelerate progress towards global decarbonization.
“Decarbonization cannot be achieved in isolation,” said Johan Pijpers, ONE’s manager for inland operations procurement in Europe and Africa. “It demands collaboration and innovation across the supply chain. Our work with QTKR shows that practical solutions like biofuels can deliver meaningful results today, while laying the foundation for more ambitious steps in the future.”
Fred Groenendijk the chief commercial officer of QTKR, added, “At QTerminals Kramer Rotterdam, we are proud to collaborate with Ocean Network Express in a partnership that goes beyond logistics. Together, we are taking concrete steps towards reducing CO2 emissions by aligning our strategies, sharing expertise and driving a sustainable way of working across the transport chain. ONE and QTKR have proven that smart, trustworthy collaboration is essential to successfully reducing CO2 emission across the supply chain.”
The partners are now preparing for the next phase of their collaboration, which will see the introduction of a dedicated fleet of electric trucks (e-trucks) for port operations.
These e-trucks will serve alongside the HVO100 trucks, handling container movements across terminals, further cutting emissions to establish a long-term platform for zero-carbon logistics.
QTKR and ONE view the combination of immediate, scalable measures, achieved by switching to biofuels, along with longer-term investments in electrification as central to the maritime sector’s transition.
The partnership also reflects a growing recognition that decarbonization requires close cooperation between carriers, logistics providers and port operators if industrywide goals are to be achieved.
“By combining quick wins with forward-looking innovation, QTKR and ONE are showing how collaboration at the port level can contribute to the shipping industry’s wider ambition of achieving net-zero emissions,” ONE stated.
