Sustainability and Environmental Management: Emissions Accounting for Ports

Seaports are global hubs for the transportation of goods. They play an important role in today's global societies and are critical nodes in transportation networks. Sustainable energy use impacts people, the world's environment, and is relevant to the operation and maintenance of ports. In this article, an inventory of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the port of Chennai is made by accounting for the various port facilities, the housing areas, and the fishing harbour, all managed by the port of Chennai. GHG emissions are quantified by following the guidelines of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the World Port Climate Initiative (WPCI). Our estimate of GHG emissions for the financial year 2014-15 indicates that 280,558 tonnes of CO2e/year were generated by the port and port related activities. The detailed estimation of energy consumption and emissions generated by the individual systems are useful for energy engineers when implementing energy conservation measures and renewable energy technologies. Implementation of GHG mitigation strategies for all port-related activities will help achieve significant GHG reductions, reducing the adverse impacts of global climate change. ©, Copyright Association of Energy Engineers (AEE).