News Articles
Archives
Port of Los Angeles Pioneers International Clean Ship Incentive Program in North America and the Pacific Rim
May 3, 2012The Port of Los Angeles, CA, USA, today became the first seaport in North America and the Pacific Rim to adopt an international clean air program that rewards ocean carriers for bringing their newest and cleanest vessels to the Port. The Los Angeles Board of Harbor Commissioners today formally approved an Environmental Ship Index (ESI) program to take effect July 1.
The ESI is a web-based tool developed by the World Ports Climate Initiative (WPCI), a project of the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH). The ESI program, already underway at several major European ports, offers immediate and significant clean air benefits by rewarding vessel operators for voluntary engine, fuel and technology enhancements that reduce emissions from ships beyond the regulatory environmental standards set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Port of Antwerp assumes the role of project port
March 29, 2012The 7th workgroup established under IAPH's World Ports Climate Initiative (WPCI) at Busan Conference in May 2011, deals with the subject of LNG-fueled vessels, more specifically the storage and bunkering of LNG. The inaugural meeting in Busan was attended by the representatives of the ports of Amsterdam, Bremen, Brunsbüttel, Frederikstad, Gothenburg, Hamburg, Los Angeles, Oslo, Rotterdam and Stockholm, as well as the classification societies Det Norske Veritas (DNV) and Germanischer Lloyd (GL-group) and the gas company Gasnor, who welcomed the IAPH’s initiative in addressing the subject.
According to WPCI Bureau Director Fer van de Laar (Managing Director, IAPH Europe), the Port of Antwerp has recently assumed the role of Project (lead) Port, with Ms. Tessa Major, Technical Manager, Environment Department, Port of Antwerp, Belgium, leading the workgroup.
In view of the Port of Antwerp’s great involvement in current LNG projects – such as the Flemish LNG study and the European Clean North Sea Shipping project, they enthusiastically welcomed their taking the lead in this project.
WPCI LNG-Fueled Vessels Program Theme Launched
July 8, 2011During the IAPH World Ports Conference held in Busan, Korea in May 2011, IAPH agreed upon a new WPCI-project; LNG-fuelled vessels. The goal of this new project theme is to develop guidelines and/or assess the possible impact at ports with regard to infrastructure, safety requirements for bunkering and the legal aspects of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as an alternative fuel to conventional fuels for ships.
LNG is of interest to both ship operators and ports because it reduces or eliminates many of the emissions targeted by current and future IMO measures to make shipping cleaner. For example, LNG eliminates entirely sulphur emissions and particulate matter emissions are close to zero. Furthermore, LNG has been reported to reduce NOx by 80-90% and CO2 emissions by 26%.
During the meeting of the Port Environmental Committee of the IAPH, Henri van der Weide, Policy Advisor for Safety, Security & Environment at the Port of Amsterdam stressed that “the more vessels that use LNG, the cleaner the air in the port; and cleaner local air quality means a license to grow. Ports must respond to the trend to switch to LNG or possibly risk losing ships in the future.”
The technical session in Busan looked at some of the practical issues of introducing LNG bunkering at ports, such as what infrastructure was needed and how supplies of LNG would reach the port. Above all, ports need to have good safety procedures in place. One of the further issues that the LNG project team will discuss going forward would be international guidelines for safety procedures and training for crews and other operatives handling LNG during bunkering. Currently there are no standards available, only local guidelines, so the project aims at tackling these questions at international level.
Many ports already expressed their interest in taking part in this project, to be prepared for the future. Furthermore, the industry is invited to take part in the project team, to work together with the ports on developing a practical set of workable guidelines at the 3 mentioned subjects.
From this moment on, the project team will be established under the coordination of the director of the WPCI. More information on the LNG-Fueled Vessels theme can be found at the WPCI website, by clicking HERE.
Ports of Antwerp and Los Angeles Announce Intention to Join ESI at IAPH Conference in Busan
July 8, 2011The Port of Antwerp and the Port of Los Angeles announced their intention to offer incentives to clean ships under the Environmental Ship Indexing (ESI) program during the IAPH World Ports Conference in Busan, Korea in May 2011. On July 1, 2011, the Port of Antwerp became the 4th port to offer incentives through this program, joining the Ports of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Oslo.
The Port of Los Angeles also announced plans to start an ESI program later this year. The Ports of Bremen and Hamburg are also in the process of developing programs. Since this conference, two additional ports have come forward to announce their planned participation: the Ports of Kiel and Wilhelmshaven.
The ESI identifies seagoing ships that perform better in reducing air emissions than required by the current emission standards of the International Maritime Organization. The ESI is based on the amount of nitrogen oxide (NOx), sulphur oxide (SOx) and greenhouse gases that are released by a ship.
The index is intended to be used by ports to reward ships when they participate in the ESI and will promote clean ships, but can also be used by shippers and ship owners as their own promotional instrument. It should be noted that while ESI will provide a total score, the rewards can either be based on that total or on each of its constituent parts separately. The program is completely voluntary and WPCI hopes that the global port community will assume its role in improving the maritime and port environment. Finally all stakeholders in maritime transport can use the ESI as a means to improve their environmental performance and as an instrument to reach their sustainability goals.
For more information on ESI, see www.environmentalshipindex.org
WPCI Carbon Footprint Theme Releases Carbon Calculator
May 13, 2011
Los Angeles, CA, USA
As a follow-up to the Carbon Footprinting for Ports Guidance Document, released June 2010, the Carbon Footprinting theme of the WPCI has released an interactive carbon calculator for Port municipal sources. This calculator allows ports to estimate their carbon footprint by entering annual fuel and electricity consumption by source. The calculator also has a feature that allows ports to explore greenhouse gas emission reductions that would be gained through the use of alternative energy sources. This calculator focuses on sources that are directly controlled by the port, commonly known as Scope 1 (direct) and Scope 2 (direct electrical purchases) emissions.
Feedback on this calculator tool is encouraged and will be used to refine and develop the tool for additional applications, including potential Scope 3 (tenant) emissions. Please send questions and/or comments to Lisa Wunder at the Port of Los Angeles, lwunder@portla.org.
