SEA TERMINALS aimed to boost the evolution of the port industry towards a progressive and effective low-carbon emission operative model, integrating smart and energy-efficient technologies (hybrid machinery concepts, LNG as a fuel, electrical heavy-duty vehicles) through innovative business and energy-efficient solutions, focused on heavy-duty handling machinery and equipment. SEA TERMINALS was oriented to port container terminals as these facilities are remarkable energy consumption centres within the European port sector, thus being responsible for a major share of GHG and pollutant emissions generated by the intensive use of diesel powered heavy-duty machinery in non-stop cycles during the whole year. This produces not only a medium-long term impact due to the contribution of these emissions to global climate change, but also a short-term effect on the population and the environment.

SEA TERMINALS took as point of departure the lessons learned from the successful TEN-T GREENCRANES co-funded project, which demonstrated that alternative fuels and smart energy management can produce remarkable positive effects on energy consumption and GHG emissions reduction. SEA TERMINALS aimed to keep the way opened by GREENCRANES and continue developing innovative concepts based on retrofitting and last-generation technologies able to be deployed into the port industry market quickly, thus fostering the development of available eco-efficient alternatives for European ports.

SEA TERMINALS demonstrated by means of real life trials in the ports of Valencia (Spain) and Livorno (Italy) an integrated and comprehensive set of prototypes based on low-carbon emission technologies implemented in last-generation port machinery and equipment. All the prototypes tested and piloted were business and market-sided oriented, thus demonstrating their investment feasibility.