Port of Gothenburg develops new digital port call tool to reduce emissions

The Gothenburg Port Authority has started developing an entirely new digital port call solution in collaboration with maritime operators to reduce carbon emissions.

Digital Port Call is the result of an extended collaboration between the Gothenburg Port Authority and the Finnish company Awake.AI, which is responsible for developing the service.

In 2021, the parties launched a new digital Berth Planner tool, Allberth, to the market. Now the collaboration digitalizes the whole port call.

As explained, the solution could reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 1000 tons per year. The tool is expected to be in use starting in early 2024.

“Today, there are numerous contacts that need to be made for a ship to arrive at berth, to load and unload, and then depart. This consumes time and creates uncertainty. Digital Port Call consolidates all communication points into a smooth and efficient chain where predictability for the entire ship call process becomes evident. This is a digital tool that many of us have been waiting for,” said Fredrik Rauer, Manager of Port Control at the Port of Gothenburg.

“It encompasses everything from booking pilots and tugs, ensuring cranes are in the right position for the vessel, having the port crew ready to receive ropes, knowing the prevailing wind strength, to identifying the vessels in port. Essentially, it ensures that the right information is available at the right time for effective planning of a smooth arrival,” explained Rauer.

From the ship’s departure from the previous port until it arrives, a plethora of information influences the voyage and needs to be communicated. In total, this involves nearly 120 different stakeholders that need to be synchronized in some way.

According to the port. Digital Port Call makes all information transparent, thereby enabling informed decisions that conserve resources, reduce emissions, and enhance safety. Captains receive a comprehensive overview of the route to the Port of Gothenburg up to 36 hours before departure. Through a digital port call arrival declaration and its confirmation, the captain can adjust the speed into the port to minimize emissions and avoid anchoring and waiting for an assigned berth.

“Upon arrival at the berth, everything is synchronized and prepared for the best possible service since all service providers have a consolidated understanding of what needs to be done and are prepared, thanks to receiving the right information at the right time. Furthermore, Digital Port Call saves shipping companies days at sea. And if there’s anything that costs a lot of money, it is unnecessary day spent at sea. Moreover, shipping companies are truly aligned now with the goal of having the most environmentally friendly propulsion possible, where the Digital Port Call not only saves money but also advances climate efforts,” Rauer further explained.

The Digital Port Call is part of the major initiative Green Connection that Port of Gothenburg is implementing to reduce port-related CO2 emissions by 70% by 2030.

This involves ensuring storage and access to a mix of alternative fuels, as well as investments in physical and digital infrastructure that support a fossil-free logistics chain – at sea, on land, and at the terminals. €60 million is earmarked for investments in CO2-reducing measures.

The port has recently announced it will introduce methanol bunkering services by the end of 2023. The move is part of the agreement signed with Inter Terminals Sweden (ITS), part of Inter Terminals, one of the largest independent bulk liquid storage providers in northern Europe.