BPA highlights environmental good practise

This collection of good news stories is drawn from ports across five broad categories: habitats and biodiversity; reducing emissions; renewables; research, collaboration, and leadership; and plastics, waste, and recycling.

Mark Simmonds, head of policy & external affairs at the BPA, said: “This collection of stories shows the tremendous amount of effort ports put into reducing emissions, protecting and enhancing habitats and biodiversity, and tackling waste and marine litter.”

Diverse efforts

Included in the current collection are: the use of two bubble curtains in the construction of Aberdeen’s new south harbour to protect marine mammals from any harmful effects of the building work; ABP’s GB£6.8m roof mounted solar array at the Port of Hull; Belfast Harbour’s drive towards 100% renewable energy usage and smart electricity generation; and the installation of the UK’s first intermediate voltage shore power system, in Orkney, as well as smaller shore power systems in Fraserburgh and Lerwick.

Also included is: the Port of London’s hybrid pilot cutter; Milford Haven’s environmental surveillance group that has been running for 27 years; participation of fishing ports in the ‘Fishing for Litter’ scheme by KIMO; Orkney Harbours’ work on monitoring and preventing invasive species; and Portland Port’s non-native invasive species control plan.

The BPA will be adding new stories to the pack over time. It has created an online form where ports and BPA associate members working in ports can submit new stories. These will be published on the BPA website and eventually printed in various formats.