South Asia Gateway Terminals (SAGT), Sri Lanka’s first Public Private Partnership container terminal in the Colombo Port, achieved a 25 percent reduction in its overall carbon footprint for 2022/23 resulting in the reduction of 5,301 Metric Tonnes of carbon emissions from being released into the environment, stated SAGT’s sustainability report for 2022/23 released recently. This performance was achieved primarily through reduction in its scope one carbon emissions.
Scope one carbon emission reductions were through investments and initiatives such as the conversion of rubber tyred gantries from diesel to hybrid electric-diesel power and then prioritising the utilisation of hybrid RTG’s for operations. Consequently, SAGT’s scope one carbon footprint reduced by 35 percent. SAGT’s scope two carbon footprint recorded a decrease of nine percent for the reporting period, mainly attributable to the 12 percent reduction in ship-to-shore crane electricity consumption.
SAGT increased its commitments towards its environmental stewardship by entering into a partnership with Greenstat Hydrogen (Pvt) Ltd to formulate a strategic plan to accelerate electrification and decarbonisation at the Colombo Port, through a green-hydrogen pilot project.
To accelerate the efforts to minimise the impact on the environment through formal ‘carbon off-set initiatives’, the Company has also committed to investing in two organised restoration projects, outside the confines of its operating environment. The first is the ongoing reforestation of five acres of the Yagirala forest reserve and a new partnership with the University of Sri Jayewardenepura’s Centre for Sustainability, that will restore five acres of Mangroves in the Bentara River mangrove complex. Mangroves are an extremely efficient natural ‘carbon sink’ and this partnership commitment for 5 years, will serve as a crucial pilot for further restoration while giving SAGT an offset in excess of2,732 tons of carbon, equal to 17 percent of the terminal’s current emissions.
The Company sought membership in the UN Global Compact, further underscoring the commitment to upholding and working towards global sustainable development goals. In addition to multiple initiatives in cash and kind to support staff and stakeholders through the unprecedented hardships that arose as a result of the economic crisis in 2022/23, SAGT also committed to partially fund, re-starting the stalled national Thriposha nutrition program of the Ministry of Health that addresses malnutrition in pregnant and lactating mothers and children under five years, through a donation of milk powder to the value of Rs. 180 million.
SAGT’s Chief Executive Officer Romesh David said, “SAGT is pioneering sustainable terminal operations within the Colombo Port by investing and optimising energy efficient infrastructure, integrating technology and improving business processes. Since the Company’s re-affirmation to sustainability in 2018, SAGT has been at the forefront in integrating and developing sustainable solutions and practices within its business and setting industry benchmarks locally and regionally”.
David said, “while doing the utmost to sustain the most deserving segments of our communities, we are making serious changes to achieving decarbonisation of our business. We remain committed to showing leadership towards charting a sustainable future not only for SAGT, but for the Colombo Port overall”.