OUR COMMITMENT TO CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVING ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS ACROSS ALL ASPECTS OF THE PORT’S OPERATIONS IS BORNE OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE NATURAL HABITAT AND COMMUNITIES IN WHICH WE OPERATE.
“It is our policy to manage our obligations to the environment in a responsible manner and to take a sustainable approach to developing the Port’s business” .
This commitment is reflected in the breadth and diversity of initiatives we have undertaken to deliver a more sustainable environment for the Port’s neighbouring communities, flora and fauna, as well as real cost benefits for the Company. Understanding how incremental environmental improvements to Port practices and operations impact on and drive business value has enabled us to place fewer demands on resources, enhancing the Port’s long-term competitive position. Our strong relationship with customers, suppliers and colleagues has been central to progressing towards a greener, more efficient future for Ireland’s largest shipping gateway.
Dublin Port Company’s Environmental Management System (EMS), which focuses on critical aspects and impacts, commenced in 2006 with a number of projects to ensure that activities within the Company’s operation are conducted efficiently with the minimum impact on the environment. In 2008 Dublin Port Company was awarded the internationally recognised environmental standard ISO 14001 certification for our activities, facilities and operations within the Port estate. This award demonstrates the Company’s positive and proactive commitment to environmental practices, which are subject to a twice-yearly independent audit by the international independent awarding body Bureau Veritas. Both audit reports conducted since have been positive and resulted in Dublin Port Company retaining its accreditation.
The ISO 14001 accreditation requires the Company to set new environmental targets and objectives every year, under which a number of important and innovative changes took place during 2009. Our location too is important from an environmental perspective. The Department of Transport’s Indecon report on the future of Dublin Port, published in 2009, highlighted that Dublin Port was the most environmentally efficient way for importers and exports to access Ireland’s largest market. It concluded that by being where it is, it saves 1.3 million tonnes of CO2 emissions as opposed to being located outside of the City that it serves.
Energy
Carbon foot-printing is considered a key indicator of energy savings. By monitoring the electrical energy usage of No. 1 Terminal, we identified areas which would benefit from the introduction of new procedures and materials, such as the installation of new lighting controls and fittings. By implementing these changes the Company achieved an annual saving of 200,000KW hours on lighting alone. The success of this initiative has led to similar electrical energy savings plans for 2010 at the Company’s head office, Port Centre.
Further savings in energy consumption were made at the Port’s No.9 Ro/Ro (Roll on Roll off) ramp by increasing the ramp’s efficiency when in operation. This was achieved through the fitting of Variable Speed Drivers (VSD) to the ramp, which proved extremely efficient. The electrical energy consumption of the ramp was reduced by thirty percent, which saves almost 35,000KW hours on an annualised basis. There are plans to install similar VSD on Ro/Ro ramps No.1 and 5 in early 2010, while a VSD has also been installed on the main ventilation fans at Dublin Port Company’s head office resulting in a further thirty per cent reduction in electrical energy consumption by the Company.
Wind
The Poolbeg Lighthouse now has a zero carbon footprint following the installation of a wind turbine to accompany its solar panels. As part of a pilot project a wind turbine will be fitted to one of Dublin Port Company’s buildings in 2010 and, if successful, further wind turbines on the Port estate will follow.
Fuel
In order to reduce fuel consumption and emissions within the Port grounds, two new electric vans were introduced to the Company’s fleet of maintenance vehicles. This was achieved with the assistance of Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI).
Monitoring units were also installed to measure the levels of sulphur dioxide (SO2) throughout the Port, which the Company is pleased to report remain at a very low level. In addition, this has provided the Company with valuable information against which lower sulphur fuels can be benchmarked as they are introduced over time.
Waste
Waste reduction is one of the Company’s main objectives under the environmental management programme. Significant progress was made in October 2009 when the Port achieved a fifty-eight percent reduction in waste. Dublin Port Company staff were instrumental in adopting and implementing a number of new measures, such as enhanced waste segregation in the offices and canteens, as well as better management of C&D (construction and demolition) waste, composting of garden waste, recycling of IT materials, and the use of double-sided printers to reduce paper consumption to ensure a greener environment for all. In the period January to October 2009 the amount sent to landfill was minimised through the above processes resulting in a 58% decrease of mixed municipal waste.
Water
In 2009 we committed to building on the fifty per cent reduction achieved the previous year on the consumption of fresh water used in the Port estate, by investing in monitoring equipment which would deliver further efficiencies in the system. This was achieved through our civil engineering team, who divided the Port estate’s fresh water piping network into seven different monitoring areas, each fitted with the computerised monitoring equipment. The use of this equipment has enabled the Company to quickly identify sources of leakage in the Port estate, so that repair work can be undertaken more swiftly. The result has been a reduction on 2008’s saving by a further thirty per cent. Water usage for the port load has now been reduced to 10 litres/second and we have set a challenging target of reducing this by a further 50% in 2010.
Dublin Port Company staff are now also equipped to deal with the control of, and response to, marine oil spills following training with the Irish Coast Guard, which has enabled staff to minimise more quickly the adverse environmental impact of such incidents.
Wildlife
In 2009 Dublin Port Company worked with the Biodiversity Officer in Dublin City Council and National Parks and Wildlife to successfully refurbish a caisson in the Port area. This was to facilitate a bird colony of terns in advance of the breeding season and to assist in the protection of their young chicks. We are now reviewing the possibility of installing a ‘web cam’ so that the wider community can enjoy the activities of this colony.
Future Steps
Dublin Port Company’s ongoing commitment to its environmental programme was noted in the ISO 14001 auditor’s report of November 2009. This commitment extends to turning our attention to monitoring and identifying ways to minimise noise generated from operations within the Port as well as using the monitoring programme to establish a baseline for future benchmarking purposes.
As a member of ‘Green Ports’ and ‘European Sea Ports Organisation’ (ESPO) we continue to benchmark our performance in each environmental initiative against those of other ports within Europe to ensure best practice standards are met and maintained.
We also continue to share our experiences and expertise abroad through both the UNCTAD TrainForTrade programme and also on EU environmental awareness training in Croatia. In co-operation with the ESPO Sustainable Development Committee and the IAPH (International Association of Ports and Harbours) as European managers of the World Ports Climate Initiative, Dublin Port Company has proven to be very active in not only supporting but initiating and implementing environmental change.