Swissport steps up shift to electric vehicles
13 / 09 / 2024
Photo: Swissport
From January next year Swissport will strengthen its sustainability credentials with a rule stating many types of new vehicles can only be ordered in electric versions.
The directive includes vehicles for baggage transport, conveyor belts for loading luggage onto aircraft, mobile staircases for passenger boarding, light & medium forklifts, and service vehicles for waste disposal and fresh water supply, said Swissport.
At the end of last year, Swissport said it aimed to decarbonise its operations and supply chain to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
This most recent initiative further speeds up the transition of Swissport’s fleet of Ground Support Equipment (GSE) from diesel and gasoline-powered vehicles to electric units as part of the company’s commitment to achieving 55% eGSE by 2032.
By 2027, Swissport intends to procure only electric GSE, depending on the availability of the required equipment and the development of sufficient charging infrastructure at airports.
Swissport is the largest global operator of airport ground support equipment with a fleet of approximately 14,300 motorised units. As well as environmental benefits, the electrification of its fleet offers noise reduction, safety and automation benefits.
“Swissport reaffirms its goal to continuously increase the proportion of electric, zero emission ground support equipment, said Warwick Brady, president and chief executive of Swissport International.
“Over the next ten years, we will invest over a billion euros into a new electric fleet. Our strong commitment to sustainability and clean energy also supports airlines’ ESG goals and reduces their supply chain emissions.”
However, Brady stressed electric infrastructure investment must keep up with equipment investment.
“To support our electrification roadmap, airports must prioritize installing charging infrastructure, and ensure their electrical grids can handle increased power demands,” added Warwick Brady. “Swissport also urges regulators and IATA to establish standardized charging connectors and protocols and to require airports to provide a minimum number of electrifiable GSE parking spaces.”
At Zurich Airport (ZRH), Swissport currently operates with 44% electric GSE and is set to reach 55% by the end of 2025. At Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS), Swissport has invested €2.5m in electric assets and plans to transition its entire motorized GSE fleet to electric soon. As an example, all cars used on the apron at AMS will be electric by December 2024.
For its ground operations at Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO), Swissport has already deployed five electric buses, with seven additional buses on order. And at Frankfurt Airport, for which Swissport recently secured a license to provide ground services starting February 2025, the company plans to invest approximately €25m in electric vehicles.
