Recently, almost half of the AUTOBarge ESRs were located at Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden. This provides a wonderful opportunity to join in a guided tour at the port of Gothenburg areas on their exclusive inspection vessel M/S Hamnen. The M/S Hamnen, in operation since 1979 has been recently converted into electric power propulsion. The Maritime Environmental Science unit at Chalmers initiated the tour.
Photo: Port of Gothenburg container terminal
The Deputy harbour master Erik Waller led the tour by introducing the inspection vessel and how they managed to keep the old boat ensuring greening of their operation. Of course, it required a lot of pre-planning with many hours of meetings to make that happen. Then there was a lecture on how the port is experiencing its green transition phases to become the world’s most sustainable port. The port aims to reduce 70% of its carbon emissions by 2030. The sustainability manager described their ongoing and future initiatives and challenges in collaboration with all the stakeholders who run the daily operation at this ‘landlord port’. Later part, the tour group had a look at the almost silent electric engine room and the semi-automated bridge. Throughout the tour, the attendees received a detailed overview of different terminals, newly installed methanol bunkering stations, and other facilities.
Photo: activities during the visit
The takeaway here is that if you have a green motivation with strong values and mission, you can make it happen. And at the end of the day, it is an investment not just an extra cost! From the trip, AUTOBarge ESRs also gained some new ideas to bring back home and new connections to work with. Insights from this onboard visit provided valuable perspectives on integrating sustainable practices with autonomous shipping technologies, highlighting how the future of shipping can be both green and automated. These experiences will also inspire innovative approaches in the development of autonomous inland shipping solutions.
Photo: Inspection vessel ‘M/S Hamnen’ and the happy team after the visit
An article by Rana Saha.