PERFORMANCE
REVOLUTIONISING OPERATIONS BY STARTING SMALL The terminal of the future is a phrase that has grown in prevalence over the last decade, writes Mark Nailer, Maritime Manager EMEA, Midstream Lighting The connotations of the term evoke a vision of a smoothrunning maritime hub with clean, safe and seamless operations. While future gazing is not limited to the last decade alone, an increase in environmental regulation and consequent environmental ambition in many sectors, has heightened discussion on what a sustainable future may look like for the shipping industry. With Europe aiming to become carbon neutral by 2050, the EU Green Deal specifically targeting a 90% reduction in GHG emissions in the transport sector and international regulation, such as SDG 14, forcing ship and port owners to scrutinise every element of their supply chains, action is inarguably required today.
12 | WINTER 2020/21
8 Hupac Terminal secured a 65% energy saving by upgrading its lighting
Photo: Port of Aarhus
SUSTAINABLE LIGHTING Tackling port modernisation, can to a point, start relatively small and expand in line with needs, ambition and budget. Reevaluating all elements of a port or terminals' existing infrastructure is a good place to start to assess where small, incremental changes can be easily made to reduce costs, while supporting environmental initiatives. Those changes need not be seismic and can be as simple as upgrading a lighting solution. An important legal and insurance requirement, high quality lighting is necessary to conduct critical operations efficiently, maintain security standards and protect workers, regardless of the size or location of the port or terminal. Accounting for a large portion of a terminal's energy consumption and operating expenses, lighting is often an underappreciated asset. For example, many ports and terminals still use economically and environmentally adverse lighting solutions, such as highpressure sodium, metal halide, or other similarly dated technologies. This is despite more sustainable and cost-
Photo: Midstream Lighting
ENVIRONMENTAL VS COST While there are port and terminal owners and operators placing environmental initiatives at the forefront of strategy - wider industry collaborations such as EcoPorts are evidence of this sustainability is ultimately not always the driving force behind many port redevelopments. And although solutions such as total port electrification and AI are synonymous with the industry's vision of the 'terminal of the future', such 'big ticket' changes can be a distraction from more accessible steps to modernising operations. Similarly, with increasing competition between ports and the economic impact of the pandemic still felt by many, the predominant driver for investment in available technologies is usually a reduction in OPEX. However, when making those decisions in isolation, a lower initial outlay may not always result in lower long-term costs and may put port or terminal owners and operators at risk of moving two steps back in terms of environmental standing. Fortunately, technologies are available that can deliver both benefits whilst been much more accessible than the futuristic applications that we look forward to seeing develop.
8 At the Port of Aarhus the bespoke solution was 230 LED floodlights installed as part of a new quay extension
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