Container Throughput Carbon Intensity

Container throughput carbon intensity expresses a terminal’s or operator’s emissions per unit of container work, in kilograms of CO2 equivalent per TEU handled. It isolates the efficiency of cargo handling and yard operations from total tonnage, so a port can track decarbonization as throughput grows. Reported figures span a wide range with the energy mix: a terminal on renewable electricity and HVO fuel can reach roughly 1 to 2 kg CO2e per TEU, while a diesel-heavy operation runs an order of magnitude higher. Higher crane and yard productivity lowers the intensity by shortening equipment run hours per box. It is a port-side metric, distinct from the ship-side EEOI in gCO2 per tonne-mile.