Month: December 2016

SUSTAINABILITY CONTAINED AT THE NEW PORT OF MELBOURNE TERMINAL

Victoria International Container Terminal Limited (VICT) has been awarded a ‘Leading’ Infrastructure Sustainability (IS) Design rating by the Infrastructure Sustainability Council of Australia (ISCA) at a celebration of the new facility on 2 December 2016.

“A Leading rating is the highest rating category a project can achieve in the IS rating scheme,” said ISCA Manager Technical and Business Services, Ainsley Simpson. “This outstanding achievement by the VICT team demonstrates what can be achieved when a project embraces sustainability in their design process. VICT have shown great leadership for other container terminals with what they were able to achieve in their facility design, evidenced not only by their total score but by their achievement of 10/10 innovation credits.”

VICT achieved maximum innovation credits for 3 initiatives.

Firstly, VICT’s Automated Lashing Platform to bridge the automation gap between the ship to shore cranes and horizontal transport machines (Automated Container Carriers and Automated Stacking Cranes) is a world first. Container ships have a standard system for securing shipping containers, a twistlock and corner casting together form a standardised rotating connector for securing the containers to the deck of the ship and to each other. At traditional container terminals, the twist locks are removed by a stevedore manually during the loading and unloading of containers. This manual handling is very dangerous and potentially fatal as stevedores are required to work near suspended loads, at high traffic areas and in hazardous weather conditions. VICT has collaborated with Bromma, the company which is considered to be at the forefront of terminal technology and a subsidiary of Cargotech, to install 6 Automated Lashing Platforms (ALP) on the VICT wharf. This will minimise the exposure of stevedores to hazardous conditions and improve wharf-side efficiency.

Secondly, the integration of technical engineering and information systems, with the Automated Lashing Platforms, Ship-to-Shore Cranes, Automated Container Carriers and Automated Stacking Cranes will achieve the highest level of automation at any port in Australia.

Finally, VICT installed 350 high efficiency Light Emitting Plasma (LEP) lights in the Terminal Gate Control Area (GCA) illuminating an area of 350,000 square meters. This installation at VICT will be the first application of LEP lights in an Australian port environment. All other Australian ports utilise sodium or LED lighting in external areas. The GCA area of the terminal is located near to a number of sensitive receivers and, as the terminal will operate 24 hours per day, the generation of light spill and nuisance to residents is a major concern. The use of plasma lights will reduce the instance of light spill and the terminal impact on nearby sensitive receivers and minimise greenhouse gas generation as a result of terminal lighting.

Traditionally, sustainability has been associated with environmental performance but VICT has also been rewarded for their social initiatives including:

• Supporting the disadvantaged, disabled and low-income to remain in the city through an affordable housing initiative.
• Partnering with a local high school to provide fee assistance and scholarships.
• Helping future generations become happy and resilient individuals who will make good leaders with sound community values, through establishing a Community Investment Fund (CIF).
• Using social aspects, especially health and safety, as major drivers for some equipment selections.

In addition to the above, other sustainability achievements include:

• Project procurement policies took into consideration the lifecycle impacts of products and materials, including maintenance requirements and future disposal.
• Climate change risks were identified for 2015, 2030 and 2070. Mitigation measures were identified and applied to the risks for 2030 and 2070.
• An estimated reduction in energy consumption by 26% and carbon emissions by 36%.
• Greenhouse gas emissions during operation were significantly reduced (when compared to a traditional manual terminal). This reduction has been achieved through more efficient Ship-to-Shore Cranes and container carriers, less total machines, less oil and lubricant per machine, less consumption per lift, automated design, increased machine efficiency, the use of Automated Container Carriers (ACCs) and Automated Stacking Cranes (ASCs), less than half the distance required to be travelled per container move, and less staff (therefore significantly less waste generated).
• A 24% water saving (total of 465,555ML over the total lifecycle of the asset) achieved through more efficient domestic fixtures and fittings, stormwater capture and reuse in domestic buildings, stormwater capture and reuse for container washing, and reticulation of water used for container washing.
• 79% of terminal water use during operations will be from non-potable sources (average water consumption is estimated to be 106.14kL per day).