It’s electrifying! Port of Tyne rolls out EV charging network in bid to decarbonise

The Port of Tyne has invested in electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure as part of its drive to decarbonise.

The move involved installing multiple EV charging points to support the transition of its van fleet to battery power, in addition to providing workplace charging for employees.

Port of Tyne used EV charging specialist Mer to carry out the work – a company with its head office in London but another in County Durham.

Mer installed 117kW charging points on the South Shields site, including the authority’s headquarters at Maritime House where Mer replaced an older charging post. Mer also installed a dual 7kW charger at the Port of Tyne’s main ferry terminal building on the northern side of the river.

Dominique Davies, group procurement manager for Port of Tyne, said: “This investment in infrastructure is part of the Port of Tyne’s ongoing commitment to reduce emissions wherever possible.

“Mer listened to what we wanted and delivered cost-effective solutions tailored to our needs – for both our own fleet and for workplace charging. The Mer Connect software and app enables us to get the best possible usage out of our chargers, by making them accessible to both our van users and our employees.”

Karl Anders, managing director of Mer, added: “Port of Tyne is a huge asset to North East England, so we’re very proud to be supporting their decarbonisation plans. Ports around the UK are looking at installing more chargers to meet the needs of their own EV fleets and growing demand for workplace charging from employees.”

In 2019 Port of Tyne launched its Tyne 2050 strategy to lead the way in key areas such as environment and technology, with an ambition to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2030 and to electrify the entire port by 2040.