Port of Le Havre to reward green practices

   The port of Le Havre will reward companies that operate clean ships in Le Havre beginning in 2012.
   Starting on Jan. 1, 2012, the top ten companies with the cleanest container or Ro-Ro ships’ emissions will receive a reward allowing them to reduce port dues on ships by up to 10 percent. Ships are being judged on emitting fewer pollutants, such as NOx, SOx and particulates, and less CO2.
   The Port of Le Havre was a signing party to the World Port Climate Initiative charter and has been a large contributor to the Environmental Ship Index (ESI), which gives scores to vessels based on environmental and emissions factors.
   For its contest, the Port of Le Havre requires ships to comply with ESI conditions and calculations as well as an incentive framework developed by the port itself. The ESI is voluntary and aims at improving the environmental performance of all sea going vessels, though a condition set up by the International Association of Ports and Harbors says that the ESI system and scores can only be used as part of a reward system.
   One of the largest goals for the port’s green initiative is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 3 percent each year.
   This move follows a similar effort from the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) of Singapore. The MPA said its drive is to maintain a younger bunker tanker fleet and efforts “to ensure an efficient and environmentally-friendly fleet” are vital to its goal of keeping Singapore among the world’s top bunkering ports.
   Its first action was in Jan. 2010, when the port implemented an additional 15% port dues surcharge for bunker tankers more than 16-years-old. Starting Jan. 2012, the port will expand this additional surcharge to all non-double-hulled bunker tankers up to 16-years-old. Also, in an effort to promote the use of double-hulled bunker tankers compliant with the MARPOL Convention, the port is offering a 50% port dues rebate for compliant tankers up to 5-years-old. – Geoff Whiting