Navis, the provider of operational technologies and services for global organisations across the shipping supply chain, has unveiled new survey findings that examine the motivation behind global terminals implementing new sustainability initiatives, as well as the current status and the expected benefits of these endeavours.
Under growing pressure from regulators, customers and the global community, the shipping industry is working to increase sustainability while maintaining a profit. According to Navis’ survey, 93% of respondents believe it’s either important or extremely important for their organisations to have sustainability initiatives in place, with a majority reporting efforts are already underway to implement, track and measure the effectiveness of these initiatives.
The results from the 2021 Sustainability Survey, gathered from over 71 Navis customers, highlight the interest that terminals have shown in moving towards more sustainable operations.
When asked what is motivating them to adopt sustainability initiatives, the top responses included complying with environmental regulations, aligning with organisational goals and values, making a tangible impact on the local and global environment, and meeting customer expectations.
Respondents noted clear benefits for companies that get it right as sustainability efforts can add value to terminal operations by reducing energy costs for greater efficiency (73%), improving community relations by demonstrating a commitment to protecting the environment (68%), attracting/retaining customers (47%) and avoiding penalties for missing environmental regulations (46%).
Reinforcing the growing demand from customers to partner with environmentally conscious companies, 35% of respondents noted that their customers monitor their operation’s sustainability performance, and about a quarter said that their customers integrate Key Performance Indicators (KPI) in their qualification criteria for sustainability when selecting suppliers.
For companies evaluating which initiatives will have the biggest impact on improving sustainability in their operations, the survey found terminals prioritise:
● Reducing fuel consumption and emissions by reducing wait times for trucks and/or vessels (76%)
● Improving the efficiency of container handling in the yard (61%)
● Electrifying equipment (58%)
● Reducing energy consumption in data centres by moving to the cloud (27%)
“In order to reach these goals more efficiently, terminals are now turning to software and solutions helping organisations optimise driving distances for container handling equipment, reduce rehandles and minimise maintenance windows, reduce truck and vessel wait times and improve turn times, optimise berth position to improve yard operations, manage and prevent incidents that could impact the environment, and reduce on-premise hardware footprint by moving to the cloud,” explained Navis in a statement.
“While the primary focus for sustainability in the industry has always been on the equipment and energy efficiency through minimising unnecessary moves and reduction of fuel, the modern port now focuses on how we can move cargo in fewer moves to reduce fuel usage,” said Ajay Bharadwaj, Senior Director Product Management, Navis.
