Gothenburg’s RoRo Terminal Tops One Million Operating Hours Powered by HVO
In May 2026, Gothenburg RoRo Terminal passed one million operating hours powered by hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) across its machine fleet. The milestone reflects a long-term commitment to sustainability and a close collaboration with Volvo Penta, whose HVO-compatible engines and technical expertise enable the port to adopt and validate new solutions with confidence.
The Gothenburg RoRo Terminal is Scandinavia’s largest RoRo/rail terminal, located in the Port of Gothenburg. It specializes in handling rolling cargo — vehicles, trailers, containers, and cargo on cassettes — and is a major hub for both exports and imports.
Located near Volvo Penta’s headquarters, Gothenburg RoRo Terminal has become a natural environment for long-term collaboration and field testing under real operating conditions. “Our partnership with Volvo Penta has been ongoing since 2014,” says Göran Dittmer, Technical manager at the terminal. “We provide the machines and operational environment and run as many hours as possible, while Volvo Penta uses this to test and validate driveline solutions and collect data that supports future development.”
Field testing has been at the core of the collaboration from the start. The terminal machines serve as real-world testbeds for activities such as engine data logging for electric driveline development, hydrogen injector trials, turbo testing and component validation.
“The value of piloting these technologies is enormous,” says Dittmer. “It gives both the port and Volvo Penta practical experience before products reach the market and helps plan for future infrastructure and regulatory requirements.”
In parallel, early discussions are taking place around possible retrofits aimed at extending machine lifespan, as a cost-efficient and necessary way to meet evolving sustainability requirements.
Driving sustainability with HVO:
The terminal led the transition to HVO fuel, starting with a 40-percent blend in 2018 to meet EU density regulations. In 2019, the entire fleet, including engines dating back to 1999, operated on 100-percent HVO.
“CO2 emissions per unit have decreased to about one third of the previous level,” says Dittmer. Reducing CO2 emissions per unit has allowed the terminal to grow production while staying within environmental limits: “The only way to increase production is to reduce CO2 per unit.”
Switching to HVO allowed the terminal to improve existing machines to meet strict environmental standards without immediate investment in electrification.
Operational insights and future opportunities
Operating in a harsh terminal environment accelerates wear and corrosion The constant exposure to salt, moisture, and heavy use accelerates wear and corrosion. While these challenges remain, collaboration with Volvo Penta provides valuable insight into engine and driveline performance over time. Meanwhile, the terminal continues to explore cost-effective and sustainable ways to extend machine life, including potential repowering and retrofits, though these are not yet implemented.
Preparing for the next phase of the energy transition
Looking ahead, Dittmer emphasizes the need for curiosity and proactive action.
"Don’t wait for someone else to do it. Explore different solutions, compare options, and stay open to innovation. Battery technology and energy solutions will evolve rapidly, and partnerships like ours with Volvo Penta are crucial for navigating that change.”
While HVO has been a key enabler in meeting current sustainability targets, regulatory expectations for emissions reduction will continue to evolve and tighten over time, making electrification and other zero emission technologies increasingly important.
A milestone today, a foundation for tomorrow
Reaching one million operating hours on HVO demonstrates what is possible through careful planning, technical expertise, and close collaboration. “We haven’t seen any fuel-related problems. The engines perform as reliably as on conventional diesel, with even fewer maintenance issues related to fuel and aftertreatment than our sister port,” Dittmer concludes. “It’s a strong foundation for future sustainable solutions, including electrification and hydrogen.”
Source: Volvo Penta
About the Author
Michael Roth
Editor
Michael Roth has covered the equipment rental industry full time for RER since 1989 and has served as the magazine’s editor in chief since 1994. He has nearly 30 years experience as a professional journalist. Roth has visited hundreds of rental centers and industry manufacturers, written hundreds of feature stories for RER and thousands of news stories for the magazine and its electronic newsletter RER Reports. Roth has interviewed leading executives for most of the industry’s largest rental companies and manufacturers as well as hundreds of smaller independent companies. He has visited with and reported on rental companies and manufacturers in Europe, Central America and Asia as well as Mexico, Canada and the United States. Roth was co-founder of RER Reports, the industry’s first weekly newsletter, which began as a fax newsletter in 1996, and later became an online newsletter. Roth has spoken at conventions sponsored by the American Rental Association, Associated Equipment Distributors, California Rental Association and other industry events and has spoken before industry groups in several countries. He lives and works in Los Angeles when he’s not traveling to cover industry events.