Ships calling at the Port of Vancouver will soon pay lower fees if they burn cleaner fuel. In his annual speech to the Vancouver Board of Trade, Captain Gordon Houston, President and CEO of the Vancouver Port Authority, noted the revised fees are only one of a number of initiatives being planned to ensure the port grows in a sustainable manner.
"And that's just the beginning. We are committed to growing this port in a way that safeguards our air, land and water, while also providing unprecedented economic opportunity for our citizens. In the coming months and years you will see the port expand on initiatives like this as we work to become an environmental and community leader," said Houston.
Effective April 1, 2007, ships that burn cleaner fuel will pay less when they enter the port than those that are merely meeting regulations. In some sectors, such as the cruise industry, this is likely to result in reduced fees, while in the container, bulk and breakbulk sectors, fees will increase unless efforts are made to burn cleaner fuels.
Other initiatives underway at the port include supporting an International Maritime Organization Sulfur Emission Control Area for North America, a step that would cut sulfur emissions from ships by 50%, adopting third party environmental audits of operations, working toward 24/7 transportation of goods to relieve traffic congestion during peak use times, and enforcing a "no idling" policy on port lands to reduce emissions from trucks lined up to load or deliver goods.
"Our Integrated Air Emissions Reduction Program is designed to reduce air emissions from all sources relating to the Port of Vancouver, including ships, terminal equipment, trucks, and rail," said Houston.
