Ports use digital technology to cut emissions

RightShip has collaborated with the Australian Marine Environment Protection Association to develop the Maritime Emissions Portal (MEP) to provide emissions inventory data to ports worldwide. As part of this project, RightShip worked with the Pilbara Ports Authority on a pilot programme to review emissions profiles and develop management strategies.
MEP supports port operators to more accurately understand ship-based emissions, and based on that evidence, identify opportunities and management strategies to reduce their environmental footprint. This combines Automatic Identification System (AIS) information on ship movements with RightShip’s vessel insight data.

With this information, MEP estimates ship-sourced emissions at specific ports and provides a heat map that indicates hotspots and opportunities to lower the environmental impact of operations. It can monitor all vessel types using AIS, including oceangoing ships, tugboats and offshore support vessels, and all operating modes: anchorage, transiting, manoeuvring and accommodation.

Best practice guidelines from IMO, the US Environmental Protection Agency and California’s Air Resources Board were used to develop MEP. RightShip said this digital tool enables ports to better understand and assess their emissions inventory and local air quality. Ports can use several filters including ship type, points of interest, vessel age and emissions type to develop strategies for vessel activities while in port.
Pilbara Ports Authority operates the world’s busiest bulk cargo export centre, Port Hedland, in Western Australia, and seeks to reduce emissions using this portal.

It is also using OMC International’s dynamic under keel clearance system (DUKC) and HR Wallingford’s ship navigation simulators to practice vessel traffic management and services.

OMC has integrated DUKC into HR Wallingford’s simulators in the Australia Ship Simulation Centre in Fremantle enabling pilots, tug masters and vessel traffic service (VTS) operators to practice scenarios in the simulation of Port Hedland. VTS operators can interrogate DUKC during everyday operations to manage the sailing draughts and tidal windows for vessels restricted by their draught.

“Training at HR Wallingford is critical to our operations,” said Port Hedland harbour master Captain Heathcliff Pimento. “Incorporating the [OMC] software into a VTS simulator enhances our emergency response training, further increasing safety at our ports, which is paramount for Pilbara Ports Authority.