Environmental Management of Port Activities: A Case Study of Port of New Orleans

摘要

According to the US Customs, volume of imported cargo will triple by the year 2020. American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), through Harbors, Navigation and Environment (HN&E) Committee developed an Environmental Management Handbook (EMH) to assist ports in managing their environmental issues effectively. Activities and operations of a port vary widely depending on the types and volume of material shipped. These activities and operations can be classified as "Development Related Activities (DRA)" and "Operation Related Activities (ORA)." DRA consist of building demolition, renovation and construction; bulkhead renovation and installation; dredging; land-filling; pier construction; pavement installation or removal; and site cleaning. ORA consist of various activities like building, vessel, vehicle and equipment maintenance; cargo handling; storage and handling chemicals; fueling; painting and paint stripping; liquid discharge from ships; ship air emissions; and ship breaking. All port activities should be evaluated to determine the potential pathways, viz. air, surface water, ground water and soil, through which contaminants reach the environment. The typical environmental considerations for ports are Underground and Above Ground Storage Tanks (USTs/ASTs); chemical storage; spills and leaks; wetlands; air emissions; wastewater discharge; construction impacts; fisheries; sediment and erosion; hazardous waste; noise; and construction impacts. AAPA studied 30 ports in the United States and came up with the most effective Environmental Management Practices (EMPs) being used at those ports. EMPs can be classified into two major categories: Source control EMP (prevent pollutant or reduction at source) and Treatment control EMPs (remove pollutants after they have entered the pathway but before they impact the environment). Port of New Orleans (PONO) was established in 1718 by the French and continues to serve the United States as the only deepwater port in the US to have six "class one" railroads to provide economical and direct rail access to and from anywhere in the country. The port's facility accommodates 2,000 vessels every year on an average. This paper discusses several pollution prevention steps undertaken, the EMPs used at PONO, and its current efforts to meet the recommendations of AAPA will be discussed. This paper will be useful for other ports in the country in dealing with their environmental challenges.