Wilson Sons achieves 80% emission cut via renewable energy

Brazilian shipping player Wilson Sons has marked a new decarbonization milestone, having managed to slash greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at its Rio Grande Container Terminal using 100% renewable energy.

As disclosed, Wilson Sons’ effort was recognized via an International Renewable Energy Certificate (I-REC), which confirmed that the terminal’s Scope 2 emissions (those related to the generation of electrical energy consumed) have been zeroed and that the energy used, powered by the National Interconnected System (SIN), came from clean sources.

The verification follows the parameters established by the GHG Protocol, a global methodology for accounting for and managing emissions. The I-REC was awarded last month by EDP Brasil, the Rio de Janeiro-headquartered company has revealed.

Reflecting on the development, Paulo Bertinetti, Chief Executive Officer of the Rio Grande terminal, specified: “With this initiative, it is estimated that Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions at the terminal have been reduced by about 80%, which reaffirms our progress towards increasingly cleaner and more efficient operations.”

The Rio Grande Container Terminal is a critical gateway for the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Wilson Sons has underscored, facilitating both domestic and international trade. The terminal, with a capacity to handle 1.4 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) annually, reportedly serves over 3,000 importers and exporters.

What is more, in November last year, the company unveiled that it had managed to ensure 55% less emissions from cargo handled at the Santa Clara waterway terminal.

To be specific, Wilson Sons had conducted a study that compared river and road transport on the route between Rio Grande and Santa Clara container terminals, and based the calculation on a barge with 90% occupancy.

At the time of the development, Cleiton Lages, Environment and Safety Manager at Rio Grande, remarked that the findings of the study were “historic” for cargo transportation in Brazil, as they showcased the efforts made to minimize emissions, promote multimodality and help the terminal meet its own as well as its clients’ sustainability targets.