The IMO’s MEPC80 has agreed on a watered-down strategy toward the 2050 Paris Agreement objectives, with vague progress checkpoints every decade but no focus on the challenges that a solely maritime-based focus is creating. In this new context, the role of ports must become more prominent if stakeholders are to surpass the IMO’s expectations to achieve global goals.
The US, as one of the world’s major shipping hubs, has the potential to lead in this field and look beyond the ships’ capability to reduce emissions and create an impact with how they engage with the port. Los Angeles and Long Beach Ports alone handle 40% of the containers entering the United States and produce daily emissions equivalent to six million cars.
Rotterdam-based innovators PortXchange, are leading the way in emphasizing the critical role that ports can play in achieving these targets with their software solution, EmissionInsider. This advanced tool simplifies and automates the often complicated and time-consuming data collection process and monitors transport-related emissions in and around ports so they can develop actionable decarbonization strategies.
Ports can simply and effectively reduce energy waste by leveraging the PortXchange EmissionInsider platform to optimize shipping emissions. Software is customized for each port to establish a baseline emission inventory taking into consideration the parameters of all modes of transport (vessel, rail, road). This is then used to create an accurate and comprehensive emissions profile detailing the outcome of the emission analysis via a dashboard. Using this analysis, ports can formulate and implement precise real-time decarbonization strategies, which can transform their emissions footprint.
Solutions are flexible as well as customizable, so ports can make educated decisions about their impact on air quality and their investment in decarbonization strategies. This means cost-effective pathways can be found, benefiting public health as well as the environment. The importance of making changes in ports has never been more significant, with recent news from the EPA (the United States Environmental Protection Agency) revealing that pollutants from diesel engines are a serious concern for ports and near-port communities. “Equipment, vehicles and marine vessels that burn diesel fuel are the primary sources of combustion-related emissions at port facilities.” PortXchange EmissionInsider means that ports can now make data-driven decisions to quickly and efficiently tackle and act on the biggest pollution generators.
PortXchange asserts that a purely maritime-focused solution is no longer enough to achieve the 2050 target. Ports must become more involved in solution-based thinking and leverage digitalization to support shipping decarbonization. If left unaddressed, climate change could cost the shipping industry an additional $25 billion annually by 2100.
Having successfully operated in Rotterdam, EmissionInsider is now set to enter the US market. This move aligns with the US’s ambitious climate targets, calling for a 50% reduction in Carbon Emissions by 2030, as laid out by President Joe Biden in his 2020 election.
Photo caption The Port of Rotterdam
Notes: (1) Simpson Spence & Young and Clarksons (2) https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/issue-brief-climate-change-mitigation-and-adaptation-at-u.s-ports-2022
Background:
Port-based shipping emissions are substantial, contributing to 18 million tonnes of CO2 emissions, 0.4 million tonnes of NOx, 0.2 million of SOx, and 0.03 million tonnes of PM10 in 2011. Approximately 85% of these emissions come from container ships and tankers, which have short port stays but high emissions during these stays.
The meeting of the IMO’s MEPC80 recently agreed on a watered-down statement toward the 2050 goals with progress checkpoints set for 2030 and 2040 to ensure steady strides. “not good enough…” They didn’t talk about the impact, changing fuel, slow steaming and everything maritime focused but not seeing the broader pictures at which the ship engages with the port to reduce emissions.
As one of the world’s major shipping centres, the US can lead the way… Los Angeles and Long Beach Ports handle 40% of containers entering the United States and produce daily emissions equivalent to six million cars.
The Green4Sea Forum recently unveiled that slow steaming is not as effective in reducing carbon emissions as the industry first felt.
The IMO’s vaguely worded climate targets don’t adequately align with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C temperature goal. As one of the mahjor shi
In 2019, the three largest US ports collectively emitted over 2.5 million tons of CO2 equivalent, making it clear that more action is needed.
About PortXchange
PortXchange is a spinoff of The Port of Rotterdam Authority. Established in 2019 as an independent organization, PortXchange provides trade-agnostic, digital solutions to optimize operations, reduce emissions from the shipping industry and accelerate the digitalization of ports worldwide. Since being implemented in Rotterdam, PortXchange has expanded to other ports such as Felixstowe, Moerdijk, Algeciras and Houston. Today, it is trusted by industry leaders worldwide to optimize over 100,000 port calls annually.
PortXchange is working as a supplier to this industry, supporting its companies to increase the efficiency of their operations driven by the desire to reduce the footprint per vessel movement.
These include EmissionInsider, which tracks and analyzes emissions in and around the port to develop actionable decarbonization strategies and Synchronizer, which optimizes the entire port call process to streamline operations and reduce CO2 emissions. PortXchange also offers PilotTracker to streamline communication by sharing timely pilot scheduling and vessel movement information with the port community and its customers.
EmissionInsider supports multiple methodologies, such as GLEC, SmartWay, French Degree and Defra, to best meet reporting requirements.
EmissionInsider calculations comply with ISO 14083, EN 16258 and Greenhouse Gas Protocol.
