Displaying items by tag: SmartGreen Port

5th October 2020

Belfast Harbour Hosts Innovative Study With Objective to Become A Smart & Green Port

Belfast Harbour is working in partnership with Redshift Associates and University of Leicester on an innovative approach to the evaluation of pollution emissions from shipping & other industrial activity to assess the overall atmospheric emissions within the harbour estate. Above AFLOAT adds looking upriver of the Lagan from Stormont Wharf where the short-sea trader Arklow Ruler is berthed along with a bulker and tucked in between these vessels is another cargoship.

In what is been described as a ground-breaking project, Belfast Harbour has already embarked upon a strategy to digitise, decarbonise and decentralise its energy usage throughout the port's 3,000-acre harbour estate.

The new initiative will further help enhance the port's commitment to uphold the highest environmental standards through innovative technology.

In a joint collaboration between Leicestershire-based Redshift Associates and the University of Leicester, the project will develop analytic solutions to extract operational information on shipping from remote sensing data by using the marine Automatic Identification System (AIS). This will enable the company to determine pollution emissions in real-time from shipping underway or in harbour.

Founder and director of Red Associaites, Professor Alan Wells said: “Redshift Associates is bringing together new approaches to air pollution in ports and harbours through satellite remote sensing. The project will be funded by a grant from the £4.8m SPRINT (SPace Research and Innovation Network for Technology) business support programme.

Mr Wells added: “The basis of our collaboration with the University of Leicester, through the SPRINT programme, is its support in taking the visual data and applying a high level of validation and interpretation.”

In a feasibility study for the new service, the project team is working in partnership with Belfast Harbour to evaluate pollution emissions from shipping and other industrial activity to assess the overall atmospheric emissions inventory within the harbour estate. Redshift Associates will identify measures that will support an air quality action plan in line with the port’s sustainability vision.

The project is expected to contribute to the development of a space-enabled, commercial monitoring service for ports and harbours for maximising energy saving, pollution reduction, decarbonisation and transition to renewable energy options for port operations.

Published in Belfast Lough

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About the Loughs Agency

The Loughs Agency is a governmental body established under the 1998 Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of Ireland. The Agency's goal is to provide sustainable social, economic, and environmental benefits by effectively conserving, managing, promoting, and developing the fisheries and marine resources of the Foyle and Carlingford areas.

The Agency's governing legislation confers several specific functions, including the promotion of development of Lough Foyle and Carlingford Lough for commercial and recreational purposes in respect of marine, fishery, and aquaculture matters. Moreover, the Agency is responsible for managing, conserving, protecting, improving, and developing the inland fisheries of the Foyle and Carlingford areas. Additionally, the Agency has the task of developing and licensing aquaculture, as well as the development of marine tourism.

The Loughs Agency reports to the North South Ministerial Council and its government Sponsor Departments, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in Northern Ireland, and the Department of the Environment, Climate, and Communications (DECC) in Ireland. The Departments fund the Agency on an equal basis.

The Loughs Agency's focus on sustainable development is expected to have a positive impact on the economy, environment, and local communities in the Foyle and Carlingford areas. The Agency's efforts to conserve and enhance the region's marine resources, including fisheries and aquaculture, are expected to benefit local communities, promote tourism, and contribute to economic growth.

In conclusion, the Loughs Agency plays a vital role in promoting the sustainable social, economic, and environmental development of the Foyle and Carlingford areas. Its work on marine conservation and development is crucial in ensuring the long-term viability of the region's natural resources and in promoting sustainable economic growth.