Port estates and their related industrial areas are important economic components in their region. Hubs of industry, business and logistics activities, they also provide challenges for sustainable resource management – such as management of waste materials, emissions and energy utilisation. There is a growing trend towards cooperation between organisations to reduce unwanted impacts and provide benefits such as cost savings and new business opportunities. This is particularly evident across port estates in the Netherlands where it is becoming more widely practised, and seen as an important tool for sustainable port development.<\/p>\n
The Port of Rotterdam has many examples which have developed since the 1990\u2019s, including pipeline systems and networks for steam, CO2, hydrogen and compressed air. The principles of industrial ecology (beneficial relationships) have been important in the planning of Maasvlakte II.<\/p>\n
GreenPort Journal<\/em> (March\/April 2009) reported on the \u2018Industrial Symbiosis in Moerdijk\u2019 where a programme is underway to extend the existing \u2018sustainable linking\u2019 initiatives based on the principle \u2018Your waste, my raw material\u2019.<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n UK Research Project<\/strong><\/p>\n These practices are not common across port areas in the UK. Kate Royston is leading a practical research project to understand how port estate areas could benefit from closer co-operation between their businesses. The project is supported by a number of organisations including NISP, the Knowledge Transfer Network \u2013 Environmental Sustainability, the University of Surrey and Robbee Smole.<\/p>\n <\/span>NISP, the National Industrial Symbiosis Programme (www.nisp.org.uk), is a government funded business support programme in the UK and is a leading contributor. An initial research study with ports in the South West of England suggested opportunities did exist for economic gain through more sustainable resource management. Levels of co-operation and collaboration between ports and their tenants appeared generally low. It was concluded that tools such as industrial symbiosis and energy management could be beneficial and that it would be valuable to develop best practice approaches which could be applied elsewhere.<\/p>\n <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n Bristol Port Estate and Vicinity<\/strong><\/p>\n The Bristol Port Company (BPC) agreed to support a demonstration project to introduce sustainable resource management across their port estate and its vicinity. Bristol Port is the largest port in the South West of England, covering an area of 2600 acres. It extends over the Royal Portbury Docks, Avonmouth Docks and the Chittening Estate and is integral to the industrial development areas of Avonmouth and Severnside. The project\u2019s aims are to:<\/p>\n \u2022 Develop a community of interest between businesses in the area<\/p>\n \u2022 Provide economic benefits to the port and its tenants and neighbours<\/p>\n \u2022 Reduce environmental impacts such as diverting waste from landfill and CO2 reduction<\/p>\n \u2022 Identify opportunities for wider co-operation in the longer term e.g. potential development of a \u2018heat-net\u2019<\/p>\n \u2022 Provide a basis for replicating the approach elsewhere<\/p>\n <\/span>Following a positive response from a pilot group of businesses, wider engagement has been taking place. A key step was a NISP \u2018Quick Wins\u2019 Workshop held for businesses on the Bristol Port Estate and Vicinity at the end of September. Patrick Kearon provided a welcome from Bristol Port Company. He was encouraged that the project, and working with NISP, had already delivered benefits to BPC.<\/p>\n Companies from a range of sectors including: manufacturing, distribution, construction, waste management and the port attended and helped make the event a success. Attendees were encouraged to identify resources that their business requires that others may have, or were surplus to requirements that others may want. Some key resources discussed included wood waste, plastics, cardboard, food waste, aggregates, office space, transport capacity, heat and land.<\/p>\n The project is now continuing with support available to businesses to identify and progress opportunities. A mapping of the area\u2019s resource flows is also underway to help identify further options, and a follow up event is planned. An additional output will be the development of Best Practice Guidelines based on experiences from this project and other best practice examples from across the world; and it is hoped further such initiatives elsewhere.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Growing Interest<\/strong><\/p>\n There is growing interest from Port Authorities to work more closely with their local businesses and tenants. Legislation such as the UK\u2019s Carbon Reduction Commitment will also require closer co-operation in the area of carbon management and energy reduction.<\/p>\n The Belfast Harbour Board, with the support of Invest NI and NISP, are assessing the feasibility of a similar project to that at Bristol. A \u2018Quick Wins\u2019 workshop will be held there in early November 2009.<\/p>\n