Höegh and Svitzer launch Australia’s first low-carbon towage service

In The UK, Sea News reported Höegh Autoliners and Svitzer introduced the EcoTow solution during the Höegh Aurora’s maiden voyage to four Australian ports, achieving a “near 100% reduction in CO2 emissions relating to the towage operations.” This was accomplished using Svitzer’s carbon insetting system, which offsets towage emissions through biofuel consumption across its international fleet.

The EcoTow solution relies on a mass-balance approach. Carbon emissions generated during towage are offset by carbon credits from biofuels used in Svitzer’s operations elsewhere. These offsets are verified by an external auditor and documented through certification and assurance reporting. This method effectively neutralizes emissions without requiring direct biofuel use at every location, enabling a scalable and flexible strategy for decarbonizing port operations.

The Höegh Aurora, a multi-fuel capable vessel, visited Fremantle, Melbourne, Port Kembla, and Brisbane, delivering vehicles to Australia’s automotive market. “Towage is one of the largest carbon emitters in port operations,” said Videlina Georgieva, Svitzer’s Managing Director for Australia, emphasizing the importance of such solutions for maritime decarbonization.

Höegh Autoliners’ Chief Operations Officer Sebjørn Dahl highlighted the collaboration’s impact: “This agreement provides the opportunity to further reduce the carbon footprint of our customers’ value chains.”

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