NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / May 27, 2025 / A recent article by Sustainable Biz Canada spotlights DP World's latest step toward greener port operations: the field trial of its first hydrogen-powered rubber-tired gantry (RTG) crane at the Port of Vancouver. Authored by business editor Tyler Choi, the article - titled "DP World Field Tests Its First Hydrogen-Powered Crane in Vancouver" explores how this innovation could help the global logistics giant significantly cut carbon emissions - starting in Canada, with the potential to scale worldwide.
RTG cranes are a common feature at container terminals, lifting and moving 40-foot containers. But they're also heavy diesel users. At DP World's Vancouver terminal, the 19 RTGs account for half of the site's diesel consumption, contributing thousands of tons of CO2 annually. To tackle this, the company retrofitted one of the cranes to operate on hydrogen fuel cells, making it the first of its kind in DP World's global network.
"We realized that we need to find a solution to electrify or decarbonize our RTG yard cranes," said Joel Werner, COO of DP World in Canada, in an interview with Sustainable Biz Canada. The new hydrogen-powered crane emits only water vapor, eliminating up to 150,000 liters of diesel consumption per year. Werner added it's also quieter, more reliable, and less polluting than its diesel counterpart.
The move is part of DP World's broader plan to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. With over 1,500 gantry cranes in use across its global terminals, scaling the hydrogen solution could lead to major emissions cuts.
The crane is now in a year-long field trial to measure hydrogen consumption, productivity, and cost against a traditional diesel model. While the pilot initially used grey hydrogen (from fossil fuels), the ongoing trial uses green hydrogen sourced from HTEC, another B.C. company that produces hydrogen from renewable energy.
Hydrogen was chosen over batteries for several reasons. "We have a very energy-intensive application lifting 40 tons repetitively all day long," Werner said. "If you go to the pure battery solution, we can quickly deplete that, so we needed a solution that could work in that use case reliably." Vancouver's role as a hydrogen innovation hub also made it an ideal launchpad.
If the trial proves successful, DP World plans to retrofit all 25 RTG cranes at its Vancouver and Prince Rupert terminals. The technology could then be deployed to terminals worldwide, including in the Netherlands and Australia. Hydrogen retrofits may also extend to other port equipment like reach stackers.
With port operations contributing up to 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions, DP World's hydrogen-powered crane is a promising step toward cleaner, more sustainable supply chains.
Read the original article here.
View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from DP World on 3blmedia.com.
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SOURCE: DP World
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/dp-world-begins-field-trial-of-first-hydrogen-powered-crane-in-v-1032193
