Oil consumption is reduced by 240 tons per year, which is equivalent to emissions of around 750 tons of carbon dioxide, by connecting Eimskipa’s cargo ships to electricity.
Hilmar Petur Valgardsson, director of operations at Eimskip, says that everything matters in the energy exchange and hopes that it will be possible to put container ships onshore to electricity in more ports.
Asked if this project has a big impact on the goal that Eimskip has set for itself, to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases in its operations by 40% by 2030, he says that it is not a big variable, but an important step.
“Of course, we are hoping to be able to connect in more ports and there is a conversation that is going on, such as in Denmark and the Faroe Islands. The big project is energy exchange on the main engines and possibly reducing the burning of oil with various ways that can be done in connection with it, and that is what we are doing,” says Hilmar.
Green policy and environmental focus the driving force
Skuli Helgason, chairman of Faxaflohafnir on behalf of the city of Reykjavik, says Faxaflohafnir has taken the first step in trying to bring the parties together at the time with the cargo ships.
“It is our green strategy and environmental focus that made us take the first step. We want to do our part to make the port as environmentally friendly as possible. We saw potential there and immediately included in our budget a certain amount of capital, which was a symbolic statement that we existed. We did this before we got the parties together,” says Skuli.
The next project on the agenda at Faxafloa hofnir in environmental matters is to get cruise ships connected to electricity.
“Next on our agenda is to have a conversation with Gudlaugur por pordarson, Minister of the Environment, Energy and Climate, about the cruise ships. It’s nice to report that even though we’re negotiating with the government about the big cruise ships, the first small cruise ship will be docked next spring, but even though it’s a small step, it matters in the big picture,” says Skuli.
