Thessaloniki Completes 20 Years as EcoPort
EcoPorts, the main environmental initiative of the European port sector, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.
The European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO) has published an interview with the Port of Thessaloniki, one of the first ports in the EcoPorts Network, to provide more insights in this initiative.
The Port of Thessaloniki is a mid-size commodity port engaged in diverse trades, in terms of its major commercial activities, mainly cargo handling. However, these activities often gave rise to environmental issues such as air quality and port area seawater pollution.
The decision to join the EcoPorts Network in 2003 was a strategic move towards the type of development and future that the Port Authority has been envisioning, which is a sustainable one. Since then, sustainability and environmental protection have been integrated into the everyday organisation of the port’s activities and this is a high priority of the Thessaloniki Port Authority.
Furthermore and most importantly, networking plays a major role in reaching sustainable development goals. Within the EcoPorts Network, exchange of knowledge and best practices between ports is facilitated, while improvement of environmental performance is a common goal. After all it is better to work on solutions and the future of ports in the context of a bigger “family”.
The city of Thessaloniki defines itself as a port city with the port playing a major role in the city’s identity. By joining the EcoPorts Network, the relationship with the city became more transparent but also closer since it provided a common ground to identify the main environmental pressures arising from port operation. It also helped to recognise the significance of the environmental impacts and to find solutions to eliminate them.
With the PERS certification, the Port of Thessaloniki significantly improved its environmental performance. In collaboration with the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, the Port Authority completed successfully the Self Diagnosis Method and was accredited with the PERS certification from 2003 till 2014.
Thessaloniki Port Authority has implemented and approved a Master Plan for the years 2016-2040, which reflects the strategic targets and the selected works that will upgrade the port facilities in order to be able to handle more cargo from bigger ships in a sustainable way.
According to the Master Plan, specific works are going to be carried out in order to improve the bulk cargo handling such as the construction of enclosed depos, the installation of import/export belt conveyors as well as new state-of-the-art cranes designed for bulk cargo handling. These works will drastically decrease and eliminate any dust particle air pollution emitted, therefore improving the environmental performance of the port.
