THE controlling company of Greenock Ocean Terminal has been recognised as a 'Green Champion' at an annual business awards ceremony.

Clydeport, part of the Peel Ports group with a network of sites including Greenock, Ardrossan and Hunterston PARC in North Ayrshire, and Govan's King George V dock, picked up the prize at the 25th Glasgow Business Awards event earlier this month.

The Green Champion award celebrates businesses with a dedication to driving forward eco-friendly initiatives.

Peel Ports Clydeport faced stiff competition within the category, nominated alongside Glasgow Caledonian University, Kabloom, Lead Powerful Impact and Scottish Sports Futures.

Clydeport’s win comes as recognition of its 'outstanding investment in sustainability' and its 'industry-leading mission to become a net-zero port operator by 2040', five years ahead of the Scottish government’s national decarbonisation targets.

Key developments made to reduce carbon emissions across the Clydeport operation include a £17 million investment in installing two state-of-the-art electric cranes at Greenock Ocean Terminal, as well as changing lighting across all sites to LED.

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The network of ports has also invested heavily in upgrading its equipment fleet to run on low-emission alternatives to fossil fuels, with 88 per cent of its fleet now running on hydrogenated vegetable oil and 90 per cent on electric power.

David Wilson, deputy port director at Peel Ports Clydeport, said: “We are ecstatic to be recognised for our efforts to dramatically reduce carbon emissions across our sites.

“Investment in sustainability has been key to future-proofing our business, ensuring we can continue to offer innovative and cost-effective solutions that will stand the test of time.

“This award represents the dedication and focus of everyone at Clydeport, from senior management to those with boots on the ground, to delivering greener services across all our sites.”

Earlier this month the port operator announced it has significantly reduced its greenhouse gas emissions across its port facilities, cutting these by almost a third since 2020.