Port inefficiency threatens decarbonization goals, says Maersk

Before discussing green fuels or ambitious decarbonization targets for shipping, more immediate problems must be addressed: the lack of capacity and efficiency at Brazilian ports. This was the warning issued by Danilo Veras, Vice President for Latin America of Public and Regulatory Affairs at Maersk, during a presentation at the 3º COP Portos Sustentáveis, held this Tuesday (2) at the Santos Port Authority (APS).

“Either we address the issue of berth capacity and allow investments to happen, or there’s no point in switching from IFO (intermediate fuel oil) to methanol if your ship is going to spend 44, 48 hours at anchor, burning whatever fuel you’re using, waiting to dock”, said Veras.

According to the executive, the decarbonization of shipping is inevitable, but surrounded by dilemmas. The first of these is financial. “Decarbonization sounds great to talk about, but someone has to foot the bill. Who’s willing to pay for it?” he asked.

He pointed out that Maersk was the first company in the sector to take concrete action to solve what he calls the “chicken-and-egg dilemma”: investing in clean-fuel-powered vessels even without a guaranteed supply chain. Still, he emphasized the high cost — a methanol-powered ship, for example, can cost up to US\$300 million.

Another critical point, according to Veras, is the lack of consensus over which fuel will become the standard in the future. “Will it be LNG, gas? Methanol? Biofuel? Where will the fuel storage be located for what you're going to consume?” he asked. He noted that different shipowners are betting on different technological paths, making it difficult to standardize port infrastructure.

This uncertainty creates risks for terminals, which need to decide whether to invest in fuel storage, electrification, or other solutions. Veras emphasized that Maersk is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2040.

Flavio da Rocha Costa explained the company’s sustainability initiatives (Alexsander Ferraz/AT)

Eldorado Brasil bets on zero-carbon logistics Eldorado Brasil Celulose was born with an advantage: its production and logistics chain is zero-carbon. This was the central point of the presentation by Flavio da Rocha Costa, the company’s Logistics Director, during the 3rd COP Sustainable Ports in Santos. “We have the privilege of working for a company that is zero-carbon. Since operations began in 2013, Eldorado has already captured 12 times more carbon than it has emitted”, he stated.

The company produces 1.8 million tons of pulp per year, with 80% to 90% destined for export. To ensure environmental efficiency and competitiveness, the director emphasized that sustainability is integrated throughout the entire chain, from plantation to shipping.

He pointed out that the factory in Três Lagoas (MS) is energy self-sufficient, using by-products from the industrial process as fuel for boilers. “Today we generate all the energy we consume and even sell the surplus to the market”, he explained.

Forest preservation and environmental monitoring are also part of the company’s strategy. “We have 26 watchtowers covering 83% of our area and more than 34,000 cameras recording local fauna. This ensures sustainable management and protection against fires”, he detailed.

In the logistics field, Eldorado is investing in alternatives to road transport, focusing on rail and barge systems. “We already operate barges on the Tietê River and plan to resume operations more safely now that the government is progressing with dredging critical stretches of the waterway”, he said.

The executive also revealed that the company has received authorization to build 90 kilometers of railway connecting Três Lagoas to Aparecida do Taboado (MS), an investment estimated at R\$ 2 billion. “The idea is to move cargo directly from the factory to the rail terminal, reducing emissions and increasing efficiency”, he emphasized.