What is a Green Sustainable Port?

A Green Sustainable Port is one that prioritizes environmental sustainability by minimizing environmental impact and supporting eco-friendly practices.

A Green Sustainable Port, also known as an ecological port, is a sustainable development port, which not only meets the environmental requirements, but also raises its social, and economic interests. The core question of an ecological port is to find a balance point between environmental, social impacts and economic interests. The economic and social development of ports should not exceed the carrying capacity of the corresponding natural system.

Green Sustainable Port is a concept that focuses on building a more eco-friendly and sustainable port. This includes utilizing renewable energy sources, reducing emissions, improving air quality, and minimizing waste. By implementing green initiatives in the port industry, we can create a more sustainable future for generations to come. It also helps create jobs within the port industry as well as stimulating the local economy. Additionally, it enables us to use resources more efficiently and reduces our environmental footprint on the planet.

Must Read: What Is A Green Port? – India CSR

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Green sustainable ports are ports that use environmentally friendly practices to reduce their impact on the environment. They utilize renewable energy sources, reduce their carbon footprint and increase the efficiency of their operations. Green sustainable ports aim to promote sustainable development in the maritime sector and provide a safe and secure port for ships, passengers and cargo. Additionally, they help in conserving natural resources, reducing air pollution levels and mitigating climate change. Such ports work towards reducing energy consumption as well as improving waste management systems that can help promote sustainability within the maritime industry.

KEY POINTS

• A Green Sustainable Port attempts to reduce its carbon footprint, waste and pollution, and enhance biodiversity by employing sustainable practices.
• This ensures that not only are the port’s activities environmentally friendly, but also economically and socially sustainable for the local community.

Example

For example, Cochin Port Trust has unveiled a slew of green initiatives under the Maritime India Vision 2030, aimed at shifting its operations completely to solar power by 2030.

According to the Ministry of Shipping, around 95% of India’s trading by volume and 70% by value is done through maritime transport. India has 12 major and 205 notified minor and intermediate ports. Under the National Perspective Plan for Sagarmala, six new mega ports will be developed in the country.

India’s key ports had a capacity of 1,534.91 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) in FY20. In FY21, all key ports in India handled 672.60 million tonnes (MT) of cargo traffic

Environmental Effect of Port Activity in India

GHGs and Air pollution: All ships’ activities are responsible of air pollutants emissions and particularly: ships movement in port, ships activities in the hotelling phase (lighting, heating, refrigeration, ventilation, etc.), tanker loading and unloading. Emissions from ships at berth are estimated to be approximately 10 times greater than those from the ports’ own operations.

Pollution of water: In port and in its neighborhood there are different sources of water pollution from ships:

• Oil of bilge and motor fuel leakage from ships and gasoline and diesel oil leakage from pleasure crafts;
• Accidental leakage of oil and chemical substances in loading and unloading of products;
• Pollution from slop (residual of chemical products contained in the tanks and of the product used in the washing operations) either in the case in which it is treated and in the case in which it is unauthorizedly discharged (tanks washing close to the coast);
• Leaching of antifouling paints (particularly containing organotin tributyltin) used to coat the bottoms of ships to prevent sealife such as algae and mollusks attaching themselves to the hull – thereby slowing down the ship and increasing fuel consumption;
• Wastes production: During ships operation, a number of waste products are generated on board the ship. Depending on the trade and area the ship is operating in, the ship must collect the waste to be discharged ashore at ship’s call.

Maritime India Vision-2030

The Maritime India Vision-2030, a 10-year blueprint with the aim of overhauling the Indian maritime sector, envisages Rs 3 lakh crore investment in port projects that in turn promises to generate employment for 20 lakh persons.

The government plans to increase the transshipment volumes of Indian cargo at Indian ports from 25 percent in 2020 to more than 75 percent by 2030.

To enhance Ease of Doing Business are planned under it which include implementing Enterprise Business System (EBS) to simplify and digitize processes across Major Ports by 2021, developing National Marine Logistics Portal to implement 100 percent paperless processes including online payment and implementing unified ship e-registration portal.

It plans the development of green sustainable ports with an aim to increase the share of renewable energy to over 60 percent by 2030 from current levels of less than 10 percent besides promoting waste to wealth through sustainable dredging and domestic ship recycling and aims at reaching the target of Zero Accident Ports by 2022.

The policy focuses on ‘Make in India, Make for the world’ and thereby becoming a leading ship-building country by 2030 through 15 times increase in the gross tonnage of ships built in India.

It envisages setting up a maritime development fund to provide low-cost, long-term funding to maritime sector stakeholders besides enhancing cruise infrastructure by developing dedicated cruise terminals at 12 selected ports.

The policy plans incentivize global cruise liners to make India their home port and emphasizes on strengthening the maritime institutions to enhance India’s training and development capabilities at par with global standards. This would help in increasing India’s share of seafarers from 12 percent at present to over 20 per cent.

It will also focus on the development of eastern waterways connectivity transport grid for enhancing regional connectivity and reducing the cost of transportation from Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar, as per the document.

What should be done for the Greening of Port?

Utilization of Shore-power: It is considered an important way to cut emissions and save costs for shipping companies. It is also a quicker and cheaper short-term solution for allowing shipping companies to meet emissions targets – particularly those related to emission control areas.

Emissions from ships at berth are estimated to be approximately 10 times greater than those from the ports’ own operations. “So, there is a greater potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from ships in ports than from port activities on the land-side.

Electricity-powered

The growth of electricity-powered operations in ports can be a key driver in bringing down emissions. Many ports are considering investment in shore power, which allows docking vessels to ‘plug-in’ to power units berthed within the port complex – reducing the need to draw power from generators, reducing fuel consumption. Ex. Electric Catamaran Water Taxi deployment is being considered at Varanasi and Guwahati in first phase.

Low and zero-emission fuels

Renewable fuels for vessels; cargo-handling equipment; or storage, generation, and transportation as a business model are all areas where low and zero-emission fuels can make an impact in ports. Green hydrogen is zero-emission, generated through renewable electrolysis. Blue hydrogen is generated through fossil fuels, however carbon emissions are captured and stored safely.

Hydrogen is in development in ports in cargo-handling equipment and, in the future, potentially hydrogen-powered vessels. Ex. use of Hybrid Electric Roll on -Roll off (Ro-Ro) vessels having dual fuel system (LNG+ battery) is being considered at Guwahati for river crossings.

Intermodal

Many in the industry have highlighted investment in intermodal freight solutions as opposed to trucking to reduce port carbon consumption. Intermodal trade will become more important for container ports as e-commerce forces importers and exporters to bring their supply chains closer to destination markets.

Way Forward

In order to achieve these objectives, regular training will be provided to the staff in order to generate awareness and inculcate a positive attitude towards keeping the environment clean and green. All the Major Ports have already initiated action on the above-mentioned activities and are making good progress.

The pace at which the Green initiatives are undertaken by the 12 major ports will surely bring a green revolution in the sector making the ports cleaner and greener, which is also a key component of the ‘Blue Economy’, creating environmental benefits and balancing the investments and cash flow.

India’s Project Green Ports, 2016

The Government of India’s Ministry of Shipping has launched Project Green Ports, which aims to make major ports in India cleaner and greener, as well as to promote environmentally sustainable economic growth. Project Green Ports has two verticals – one is Green Ports Initiatives related to environmental issues and the second is Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan (Clean India Initiative).

The Green Port Initiatives include twelve initiatives which will be implemented in a strict time-bound fashion in order to achieve the targets. Some of these initiatives are acquiring equipment required for monitoring environmental pollution, acquiring dust suppression systems, setting up sewage/wastewater treatment plants/ garbage disposal plants, setting up projects for energy generation from renewable energy sources, completing of shortfalls of Oil Spill Response (OSR) facilities, prohibition of disposal of almost all kind of garbage at sea, improving the quality of harbour wastes, etc.