Ports Push Electrification as Grid Mix Limits Gains
Westports Holdings and DP World executives discussed port decarbonisation at TOC Asia, citing solar power, electric terminal tractors and biodiesel.
Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Electric Vehicles
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Westports Holdings has electrified 60 terminal tractors and sources about 16% of its energy from a solar farm inside the port. Speakers at TOC Asia said electric equipment is not automatically greener everywhere, since Singapore's electricity is about 95% natural gas and much of Malaysia's is coal-generated.
Why it matters
Port operators worldwide face pressure to cut emissions, but the environmental benefit of electrification depends on local power sources. Cost savings over diesel trucks are driving some of the earliest adoption.
Westports has deployed 60 electrified terminal tractors and draws about 16% of its energy from an on-site solar farm, while Singapore's grid is roughly 95% natural gas. The operator-reported figures do not quantify net emissions cuts from the electrified fleet.
The players
Westports Holdings
Westports Holdings is the Malaysian company that operates the Westports container terminal, which has electrified part of its fleet and built an on-site solar farm.
DP World
DP World is a global port operator headquartered in Dubai that runs 16 ports and terminals across the Asia-Pacific region.
The details
Speakers from Westports Holdings and DP World discussed port decarbonisation at TOC Asia. Westports said it chose electric terminal tractors because they cost less to run than diesel trucks, while DP World uses B40 biodiesel at its Indonesian terminals, which operate 16 ports and terminals across the Asia-Pacific region.
Timeline
Singapore has set a target to reach net zero by 2050.
Roadmap
Port electrification is spreading unevenly, as Indonesia's B40 biodiesel program shows that cleaner fuel blends can be adopted without full electric conversion. Whether electric terminal equipment delivers emissions gains depends on each grid's mix, as the contrast between Singapore's gas-heavy power and Australia's renewables illustrates.
For ports and the trucking firms that serve them, electric terminal tractors can lower running costs compared with diesel, which is the main reason the equipment is being adopted. Whether the switch cuts emissions depends on local electricity sources, so the same vehicle can have a smaller environmental benefit in coal-heavy grids.
The takeaway
Electrifying port equipment pays off most where the power grid is already clean, so the local energy mix matters as much as the vehicle itself. Operators weighing the switch should compare running costs and grid emissions before committing.
Further reading
For more on the vehicle side of this shift, explore our Electric Vehicles coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Seatrade Maritime.
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