UK ports can play crucial role in greener shipping
Ports are central to achieving significant reductions in carbon emissions in the maritime industry, according to evidence from a new University of Hull study.
Researchers have found that port companies could act as effective and influential drivers of change in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the industry’s hugely complex supply chains.
The study, which was presented at the Low Carbon Shipping 2011 International Conference in Glasgow from June 22– 24, looked at the environmental actions taking place in UK ports and compared them with initiatives abroad. Researchers mapped the activity of 72 UK port locations, including Associated British Ports’ sites at Hull, Grimsby and Immingham, and compared these activities with those carried out by leading ports overseas.
The findings revealed that carbon emissions from ports and port-related activity are small compared with emissions from ships and the haulage companies that serve them.
But, say the researchers, with more than 50% of global container traffic being controlled by 20 major ports companies, ports can take a leading role in bringing about major reductions in greenhouse gas emissions from shipping.
The work forms part of a wide-ranging Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and industry-funded project entitled Low Carbon Shipping – A Systems Approach, which aims to find ways of reducing the industry’s carbon footprint.
Researchers from several departments, led by Professor David Gibbs of the Department of Geography and Professor Chandra Lalwani of Hull University Business School, have been collaborating on the project, after the University of Hull won a bid to carry out the work, along with the universities of Plymouth, UCL, Newcastle and Strathclyde.
Dr Patrick Rigot-Muller, from Hull University Business School, said: “We focused first on ports’ carbon footprints and environmental management systems.
“Ports are already doing many things that are good, such as improving the energy efficiency of their handling operations and developing renewable energy sources. But where ports work collectively, they cannot only reduce emissions from their own activities but also encourage shipping companies and other elements in the supply chain to do the same.
“There is scope to reduce carbon emissions in the maritime industry by between 25 and 75%, using a range of technical and operational measures.”
Although shipping is a relatively clean form of freight, in 2007, international shipping accounted for 2.7% of global carbon emissions – more than international aviation, with these being on a trajectory to increase if no measures are taken.
The research team discovered a number of existing measures that enable port operators to redress the balance. One possibility, already in operation in four Dutch ports, is the use of ‘green passports’ that offer reduced port fees for vessels meeting specified environmental requirements for emissions of carbon dioxide and other pollutants.
Another way ports are having an impact is by providing shore-side electricity for vessels while they are in port. Called ‘cold ironing’, this is far more efficient than generating power on board ships for heat, lighting and other operations. If energy from the grid is from sustainable sources, the environmental benefit is even greater.
A third measure is the use of truck control and vehicle booking systems, currently being used, for example, in the Port of Los Angeles in the USA. These reduce carbon emissions by providing time slots for haulage vehicles to be at the quayside, limiting the amount of time they spend in port with their engines running.
“We were particularly interested in the carbon impact of supply chains in a globalised economy,” said Professor David Gibbs. “Ports have long been ignored in this context so we were very keen to do that.
“Initiatives such as the World Ports Climate Initiative have shown that ports can be very proactive in this area and there is a good track record of shipping companies working in partnership with the port operators to improve environmental standards, given the right incentives.”
However, he also stated that for agreements to be effective, they would have to be adopted at a Europe-wide level.
“The UK, such as any country should act carefully on taking unilateral decisions, since the ports’ industry is a very competitive market. For example, an environmental levy through UK ports could divert the traffic to continental ports and the final leg would be done by road. This scenario would be much worse in terms of carbon emissions. So, as always, there is a balance to be struck,” said Professor Gibbs.
For further information, visit: www.hull.ac.uk
Published: 07/07/2011
