port draws a serious academic and research attention. A set of indicators, both
qualitative as well as quantitative, visualising the environmental sustainability
perspective has been identified under several scientific studies (Puig et al. 2014).
Indicators which formulate the port’s environmental sustainability constitute inter
alia, waste management and handling, ballast water and water conservation and
quality, air quality and reduction of emissions, noise control, energy efficiency and
transition to cleaner energy.
As the shipping industry and international trade increase, ports are improving
maritime infrastructure and enhancing port facilities with smarter, more intelligent
designs with the help of technology. By going digital, connectivity and automation
may reduce environmental footprints of the port industry along with intelligent
transport systems, which have a significant potential to reduce CO 2 emissions.
Environmental reporting is also becoming increasingly important for ports in the
face of growing environmental concerns and stakeholder pressure from market
players, public bodies and social interest groups.
Evaluating air pollution impacts of ports requires consideration of numerous
sources, including marine vessels, trucks, locomotives and off-road equipment
used for moving cargo. The air quality impacts of ports are significant, with
particularly large emissions of diesel exhaust, particulate matter and nitrogen oxides.
Approaches to mitigation encompass a range of possibilities from currently available, low-cost approaches to more significant investments for cleaner air, such as
restrictions on truck idling and the use of low-sulphur diesel fuel; the latter includes
shoreside power for docked ships and alternative fuels (Bailey and Solomon 2004).
The IMO (2020) regulation, bringing the sulphur cap in fuel oil for ships down
from 3.50% to 0.50%, is expected to bring significant benefits for human health and
the environment. Enforcement, compliance with and monitoring of the new sulphur
limit is the responsibility of state parties, both in their capacity as flag states or port
states, to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships
(MARPOL 1973), as modified by the Protocol of 1978 (MARPOL 73/78), Annex
VI. Ships found to be in non compliance can be detained by port state control and/or
sanctions may be imposed for violations. Furthermore, the additional amendment to
MARPOL 73/78 which enters into force on 1 March 2020 prohibits not only the use
but also the carriage of noncompliant fuel oil for combustion purposes for propulsion
or operation on board a ship, unless it is fitted with a scrubber, which is an exhaust
gas cleaning system.
A variety of further measures are suggested towards the reduction of port
emissions such as introducing differentiated port dues, providing onshore power
supply/‘cold ironing’, switching to low-sulphur fuels at berth and establishing speed
limits in ports. In addition, the improvement of the exchange of information between
ports and ships so that ships are able to sail at optimal speed (virtual arrival) is of
great importance. Another potential measure is giving preferential treatment to
harbour crafts with engines that meet stringent emissions standards while, on the
other hand, strengthening port state control inspection regimes for visiting ships,
relating to compliance with MARPOL, Annex VI. Finally, the designation of
additional emission control areas, leading to stricter environmental emission standards enforced at certain ports (ships going through them should use fuel with
11 New Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Ports: The Deep Demonstration. . . 175
qualitative as well as quantitative, visualising the environmental sustainability
perspective has been identified under several scientific studies (Puig et al. 2014).
Indicators which formulate the port’s environmental sustainability constitute inter
alia, waste management and handling, ballast water and water conservation and
quality, air quality and reduction of emissions, noise control, energy efficiency and
transition to cleaner energy.
As the shipping industry and international trade increase, ports are improving
maritime infrastructure and enhancing port facilities with smarter, more intelligent
designs with the help of technology. By going digital, connectivity and automation
may reduce environmental footprints of the port industry along with intelligent
transport systems, which have a significant potential to reduce CO 2 emissions.
Environmental reporting is also becoming increasingly important for ports in the
face of growing environmental concerns and stakeholder pressure from market
players, public bodies and social interest groups.
Evaluating air pollution impacts of ports requires consideration of numerous
sources, including marine vessels, trucks, locomotives and off-road equipment
used for moving cargo. The air quality impacts of ports are significant, with
particularly large emissions of diesel exhaust, particulate matter and nitrogen oxides.
Approaches to mitigation encompass a range of possibilities from currently available, low-cost approaches to more significant investments for cleaner air, such as
restrictions on truck idling and the use of low-sulphur diesel fuel; the latter includes
shoreside power for docked ships and alternative fuels (Bailey and Solomon 2004).
The IMO (2020) regulation, bringing the sulphur cap in fuel oil for ships down
from 3.50% to 0.50%, is expected to bring significant benefits for human health and
the environment. Enforcement, compliance with and monitoring of the new sulphur
limit is the responsibility of state parties, both in their capacity as flag states or port
states, to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships
(MARPOL 1973), as modified by the Protocol of 1978 (MARPOL 73/78), Annex
VI. Ships found to be in non compliance can be detained by port state control and/or
sanctions may be imposed for violations. Furthermore, the additional amendment to
MARPOL 73/78 which enters into force on 1 March 2020 prohibits not only the use
but also the carriage of noncompliant fuel oil for combustion purposes for propulsion
or operation on board a ship, unless it is fitted with a scrubber, which is an exhaust
gas cleaning system.
A variety of further measures are suggested towards the reduction of port
emissions such as introducing differentiated port dues, providing onshore power
supply/‘cold ironing’, switching to low-sulphur fuels at berth and establishing speed
limits in ports. In addition, the improvement of the exchange of information between
ports and ships so that ships are able to sail at optimal speed (virtual arrival) is of
great importance. Another potential measure is giving preferential treatment to
harbour crafts with engines that meet stringent emissions standards while, on the
other hand, strengthening port state control inspection regimes for visiting ships,
relating to compliance with MARPOL, Annex VI. Finally, the designation of
additional emission control areas, leading to stricter environmental emission standards enforced at certain ports (ships going through them should use fuel with
11 New Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Ports: The Deep Demonstration. . . 175