Sustainability key to port growth

Jim Belsheim looks at the role of environmental efforts at shipping terminals.

This week, more than 100 professionals and decision-makers associated with the Canadian port industry will pour into Vancouver, as our city hosts the annual Association of Canadian Port Authorities conference.

This year’s conference will explore how Canadian ports are addressing economic, environmental, and social considerations to enhance the sustainability of their operations — a topic crucial to the communities in which we operate and long-term success of our industry.

Vancouver has been a port city since its inception. Our location along the Pacific coast and Fraser River provides strategic access to both inland industries and foreign markets, generating growth for our local, regional, and national economies.

However, that prosperity has not come without challenges. Concerns about environmental and wildlife impacts, a dwindling supply of industrial land, as well as the proximity of rapidly growing population centres to port operations are some of the key issues facing our industry.

In response, our local port community has increasingly factored sustainability into its business model.

At first glance, it may seem incongruous that Canada’s largest port, with around-theclock operations, is located in what is largely regarded as one of the world’s most sustainable cities. In reality, it reflects the strong emphasis our local port authority and terminals place on sustainable business practices.

For example, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority recently announced its vision to become the most sustainable port in the world, by facilitating economic growth through trade while maintaining a healthy environment and enabling thriving communities.

Over the past decade, cargo volumes through the Port of Vancouver have grown by approximately 20 per cent. During the same period, the port authority has implemented numerous environmental programs, such as the EcoAction Program, which offers discounted harbour rates for vessels that exceed regulated requirements, and a Habitat Enhancement Program, which remediates local ecosystems across the region. It also leads the Enhancing Cetacean Habitat and Observation program, which explores the impact of shipping activities on at-risk whale populations to inform mitigation solutions.

We live in an ecologically rich region, and local terminals place a great deal of importance on protecting the environment. For instance, Neptune, along with other terminals, such as Westshore, have installed air monitoring and dust-suppression systems that help protect our region’s air and water quality. Overall, local terminals invested $26 million in environmental programs in 2016, according to the B.C. Marine Terminal Operators Association.

This substantial and ongoing investment has generated meaningful, industry-wide results. For example, more than a dozen terminals now participate in Climate Smart, an independent enterprise that helps organizations measure and reduce their carbon emissions. In 2015, Port of Vancouver tenants with Climate Smart certification, including Neptune, kept nearly 2,800 tonnes of CO2 out of the atmosphere — equivalent to removing more than 600 cars from the road annually.

Similarly, Neptune, along with the port authority and 10 other local terminals, participate in Green Marine, a voluntary environmental program for the North American maritime industry that promotes continuous improvement of environmental performance and stronger relationships with stakeholders.

Support of local communities is essential to the success of our industry, especially as rezoning brings residents closer to port operations. To that end, the port authority operates a regional noise-monitoring program that captures sound levels around port lands in real time, and terminals have implemented numerous noise-reduction measures. The local port community is also committed to being a good neighbour by investing in local communities. According to the B.C. Marine Terminal Operators Association, local terminals gave more than $2.4 million in support of community initiatives last year, and injected more than $700 million into the B.C. economy by purchasing local goods and services.

Sustainability is critical to the long-term success of our industry and a key priority for Neptune. While Association of Canadian Port Authorities conference delegates gather this week to consider the sustainability of port operations, I would encourage them to reflect on the strong track record of environmental stewardship the Port of Vancouver and its terminals have demonstrated for years.