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GCT Celebrates Earth Day with New Partnership

As we commemorate Earth Day on April 22, Global Container Terminals (GCT) reaffirms our commitment to environmental stewardship. Through local partnerships, innovative initiatives, and substantial investments, we strive to lead the industry by adopting sustainable practices and technologies for the betterment of our planet and future generations.

This year, GCT is forming a strategic alliance with The Nature Trust of BC, to bolster conservation endeavors, particularly in wetlands and estuaries in Boundary Bay, emphasizing the preservation of biodiversity and ecological resilience in this crucial area, which serves as an essential habitat for various bird species. The Nature Trust of BC is a leading non-profit land conservation organization with over 50 years of success protecting and caring for BC’s most critical habitats. Since 1971, The Nature Trust of BC and its partners have acquired more than 73,000 hectares (180,000 acres) of ecologically significant land to protect vulnerable wildlife, fish and plants.

“The South Coast region is an outstanding area for conservation. The Fraser River floodplains, tributaries, and estuary, along with shoreline habitats of the Pacific Ocean, provide remarkable biological diversity and habitat values for a broad range of fish, wildlife, and migrating birds. This region is also the socio-economic center of the province, highly valued for agriculture and human habitation, which makes conservation and proper management of natural areas most important, and most challenging. Having the support of community partners, such as GCT, greatly helps NTBC in the work we do to ensure that conservation areas provide the best possible habitat for fish and wildlife,” says Carl MacNaughton, Conservation Land Manager at The Nature Trust of BC.

Through these proactive measures, GCT is continuously working to improve environmental performance at our terminals, surpassing regulatory standards, and embracing sustainable innovation. To date, GCT has reduced emissions across our terminals by over 26% equivalent to removing over 2700 passenger vehicles from the road.

“At Global Container Terminals, we are proud to partner with The Nature Trust of BC to support their vital work in conserving and protecting our region’s natural landscapes. This is just the beginning of a long partnership between our organizations and one that will have a lasting positive impact on the important species in Boundary Bay,” says M.K. Anand, Energy and Sustainability Manager at Global Container Terminals.

GCT’s Global Commitment program reaffirms our dedication to environmental stewardship, safety, and community development. We also continue to advance our 5-year ESG strategy with ten key priorities that underpin our focus on economic, environmental, and social well-being and prosperity.

“I’m incredibly proud of our team’s dedication to reducing the environmental and community impacts of our terminals. Sustainability is a team effort, and while recognizing our achievements, we are excited to continue the journey and find more ways to drive innovation and make impactful difference,” says Eric Waltz, President and CEO at GCT.

Recent commitments that underscore GCT’s commitment include:

  • Net Zero by 2050
    • GCT signed onto the federal government’s Net Zero Challenge, affirming commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050, in line with Canada’s climate objectives.
    • Building on the recommendations of the Government of Canada’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan, GCT is investing in expanding its light-duty fleet electrification, introducing new electric ship-to-shore cranes, installing LED lighting, and acquiring low-emission container handling equipment.
  • Continued EV Charger Installations and Vehicle Upgrades
    • Actively expanding EV charging infrastructure across GCT Deltaport and GCT Vanterm, with 28 operational EV chargers already in place.
    • These installations have effectively mitigated 350,000 kilograms of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from local communities.
    • As part of the sustainable fleet expansion, GCT is integrating three new EVs into operations, including a 19-passenger minibus, a delivery vehicle, and a security truck.
  • Governance and Leadership
    • Achieved Climate Smart Certification at all our terminals, demonstrating reductions in absolute and per TEU emissions.
    • Maintained Green Marine certification at all terminals – earning high marks for a container terminal operator in the program across all performance indicators. GCT has been Green Marine Certified since 2014.
  • Ongoing Equipment and Terminal Modernization
    • 12 Kone cranes: Tier 4 Diesel RTGs
    • Building on the already acquired EVs (19-passenger mini bus, delivery vehicle and a security truck) advancing light-duty electrification by procuring a fleet of EV pickup trucks to meet the goal of full light-duty fleet electrification by 2030.
    • GCT Vanterm Modernization Project added new technology and equipment across the terminal
    • New Ship to Shore (STS) cranes ordered are all designed with modern, highly efficient, all-electric motors that will help increase berth productivity and reduce running hours required to service vessels. This maintains an all-electric STS Crane fleet for GCT featuring efficient, regenerative drives that can push power back into the grid.
    • The GCT Deltaport prime route optimization program continues to reduce kilometres traveled by on-terminal equipment and cut tire consumption.
    • Ongoing conversion to LED lighting replacements on equipment and full terminal lighting retrofit projects completed at GCT Vanterm and GCT Deltaport are reducing emissions, glare, and the number of lights across facilities.