Reducing the impact of our operations on the environment

Environmental Management

We are continually looking for ways to enhance our environmental practices and ways to reduce the impact of port operations on the environment.

In December 2014, Auckland Council awarded us a Compliance Rating of ‘1 – Full Compliance’ for both our Waitematā sea port and Onehunga ITA resource consents. We engaged an external environmental auditor to independently review the way we operate, with audit results confirming a positive trend of progress and highlighting our commitment to improvement.

Since the audit, we have continued to build on the progress of previous years by developing new initiatives and streamlining processes that help reduce the impact of operations on our environment.

We have successfully implemented an online environmental awareness module for staff and contractors with plans to roll out additional modules over the next year. Building on the module, we have developed a mobile application for environmental inspections of port activities which will be rolled out in 2015.

Managing fuel and energy

Managing the use of diesel and electricity at an industrial site such as the Port is critical to a sustainable operation.

Following a trial in 2014 for the use of LED lighting around the port, we’re pleased to say that half of our straddle fleet now operates with LED lights. This is not a huge project, but even this little bit has helped reduce straddle diesel consumption by 4.5% from 21.69 litres to 20.71 per engine hour.

This financial year we will complete the installation of LED lights on the rest of the straddle fleet and trial LED lights for our cranes.

4.5%

Straddle diesel consumption has dropped to 20.71 litres per engine hour from 21.69

Recycling around our port

Our dredgings from both maintenance and berth deepening work around the Fergusson Terminal reclamation area continues to be our biggest recycling project for another year.

Approximately 13,700 cubic metres of dredged material has been used in the reclamation area in the last year that otherwise would have been dumped at sea. This includes 6,300 cubic metres of material from maintenance dredgings at our Waitematā and Onehunga ports. We also recycled 6,500 cubic metres of dredgings from marinas to be used as part of our Fergusson Terminal reclamation works.

A newly implemented general waste recycling programme has achieved more than 40 tonnes of recycled office and general waste in the last year. The programme included a shift from larger to smaller individual general waste bins for office staff to encourage recycling of recyclable materials.

13,700m3

DREDGED MATERIAL USED IN THE RECLAMATION AREA

Dealing with stormwater

This year we completed the installation of two stormwater treatment devices and we have more programmed for the next financial year. These are being implemented, not only where required by conditions of our ITA consent, but also in areas that we have identified would benefit from additional treatment over and above that specified in the consent conditions.

Doing our bit for whales in our Gulf

Over the last quarter we have continued to lead the work with the shipping industry to reduce the impact of shipping on Bryde’s whales in the Hauraki Gulf. In September 2013, in partnership with the shipping industry, we introduced a protocol for vessels travelling through the Hauraki Gulf. Under the protocol, vessels were asked to voluntarily slow down to as close to 10 knots as their schedule allowed. There is good scientific evidence that the risk to whales is substantially less from ships travelling at 10 knots compared to 15 knots or more.

In 2012, prior to the introduction of the protocol, the average transit speed in the Gulf was 14.2 knots. In June 2015 the average stood at 11.3 knots, almost a three knot reduction. We have also been working to reduce the number of vessels travelling at 14 knots or more, a speed recognised as high risk to Bryde’s whales. In 2012 over half (52.2%) of vessels travelled at 14 knots or more. In June 2015 only 15.3% of vessels travelled over 14 knots.

Our port is continuing to lead industry efforts to safeguard our local population of Bryde’s whales and our aim is to get speeds down still further.

A little bit of help for Motutapu

In 2014 Ken Samson of the Motutapu Preservation Trust alerted us to a moth plant infestation on our land along Tamaki Drive. Ken had been weeding the area himself to remove moth plant so it doesn’t send seeds out to Motutapu Island, where they are working hard to clear weeds and restore native plants. Moth weed caused the greatest concern as its seeds had the ability to spread by wind to the Hauraki Gulf Islands. By spring, we had cleared the weeds and overgrown vegetation and sprayed the site to ensure they would not grow back.

In its place, we planted 1,800m2 in native trees and shrubs and installed an irrigation system in the area to ensure the plants would survive through the summer months. The area now provides a native landscaped buffer area between our port and Tamaki Drive.

As a result of the eradication of invasive weeds we have removed a habitat for pests and rodents and have been complimented by Motutapu Restoration Trust for eliminating all moth weed in the area.

1,800m2

native trees and shrubs planted