The Danish-Swedish port and terminal operator CMP has set out a new environmental plan, and will be renewing and replacing its machine park, so that all its equipment in Copenhagen and Malmö will be fitted with particulate filters and full noise reduction. This will mean the conversion of sixteen large machines and strict requirements being imposed on the six new machines being purchased. The rest of CMP’s machine park is already equipped with particulate filters and noise reduction. In all, the company owns 52 large machines.

“We have high ambitions in the environmental area, both for the sake of our surroundings and in order to secure a better working environment for our employees. Consequently, we set a higher standard than would be required if our vehicles were driving on the public roads,” says Teis Lind, head of purchasing at CMP.

In round figures, it costs CMP DKK 150,000 to equip just one of the large machines with particulate filters and noise reduction. The costliest conversions will be the container terminal’s giant container lifters, known as straddle carriers, which have two motors and so will need two particulate filters. In all, CMP is spending DKK 2.5 million this year on diesel particulate filters.

“There are a few older machines that will not be converted, but these will be removed from the machine park anyway within the next couple of years,” continues Teis Lind. “The new machines we buy to replace them will all be equipped with diesel particulate filters and noise reduction.”

Most of the machines being converted serve the ferries to Germany in Malmö, or operate in the container terminals in Copenhagen and Malmö.

Sensible driving

The environmental campaign also includes “ecodriving” lessons: instructions on how to use the equipment in the most environmentally-friendly manner and avoid unnecessary pollution. A parallel goal is also to get more kilometres from each litre of diesel.

“We are also focusing on the environment in our ordinary purchasing policy. Four-wheel drive vehicles, for example, are out as company cars,” says Teis Lind.