06
Developing
environmental value
.
The Port of Barcelona is aware of the impacts of port activity on the air, water and soil quality of its area and the need to prevent or minimise these conditions as much as possible. To consolidate long-term sustainable development, the Port dedicates efforts and resources along with the Port Community to reduce environmental risks, start the path towards decarbonisation by using cleaner energies and properly managing waste, resources and biodiversity in the surrounding area.
The organisations of the Port of Barcelona's Sectoral Sustainability Plan also take on environmental challenges within their strategy and dedicate economic, material and human resources to them.
Based upon the Port of Barcelona's Strategic Plan 2016-2020 and the analysis of the Sectoral Sustainability Plan, the Port reviews the effects of its impact on environmental aspects and designs the Environment programme each year as part of its Environmental Management System (EMS).
In 2019, the Port Authority earmarked €862,000 for environmental actions.
The Port of Barcelona's Environmental Management System (EMS) covers the spaces and activities controlled and developed by Barcelona Port Authority (APB) in the performance of its functions.
The environmental management of the Port of Barcelona complies with current legislation and its management system is certified by ISO Standard 14001:2015 and recognised by the EMAS III Regulation, as well as with the Port Environmental Review System (PERS) industry standard promoted by the European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO).
Environmental milestones 2019
First supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from barge to the cruise ship Aida Nova in the Mediterranean, continuously every fortnight.
Supply of LNG from barge to the cruise ship Costa Smeralda.
APB agreement for the Port wharf electrification project. Application to the Spanish Electricity Network for an electrical connection to supply electricity to ships.
European EMAS Award in the category of medium-large public company.
First natural gas-powered ferry: the Hypatia Alejandria (Balearia).
Grimaldi's first ferries with batteries to prevent emissions during the stay in port.
Declaration of Climate Emergency by the Catalan Government and Barcelona City Council.
Savings of €173.78 million in the cost of negative externalities, representing a 75% saving, thanks to the intermodal strategy.
Environmental incidents
activation of the Inland Maritime Plan
deviations from environmental audits
typified environmental incidents
Environmental incidents by type, 2019
The Port of Barcelona has taken on board a commitment to halve CO2 emissions by 2030 in relation to 2017 emissions.
The consequence of the intermodal strategy in favour of rail transport and short sea shipping was a saving of €173.78 million in the cost of negative externalities (air pollution, global warming, noise, accidents, congestion and the infrastructure costs), a 75% saving in the cost of externalities.
The Law on State Ports and the Merchant Navy provides for applying a discount on the activity fee of port facilities that hold a concession or authorisation or license for handling goods.
Throughout 2019, the companies that have signed this agreement with the APB made discountable investments totalling €1.02 million, which is the biggest overall contribution since 2016.
Distribution of water consumption of the APB by uses (in m3), 2019
In 2019 the APB recorded the lowest total energy consumption since 2014, 7,631 MWh (-2.12%), most of which corresponds to the electrical supply of the buildings.
Distribution of APB energy consumption by type (in Mwh), 2019
Trend in APB electricity consumption by uses (in MWH), 2013-2019
There is a single consumption figure of natural gas which fell 25% during 2019. We would also point to the 8% reduction in diesel consumption.
Trend in APB fuel consumption by uses (in MWh), 2014-2019
The Port conducts actions to preserve the biodiversity of its environment - for example through control of invasive species and birds - and manages and monitors environmental noise throughout the port area using its noise map.
Type of float ing waste collected in the port, 2019
The strategy for reducing emissions of polluting gases and particulate matter is defined in the Port of Barcelona Air Quality Improvement Plan, adopted in 2016, which brings together a total of 53 concrete and specific actions.
In 2019 it became the first port in the Mediterranean to supply LNG to a cruise ship from a barge and supplied LNG from tanks to the first new ferries of the Baleària company, which is fully powered by this fuel. Furthermore, the Port is taking part in five pilot tests for LNG as a mobility fuel: the Cleanport and REPORT projects and three activities of the CORE LNGas hive project.
Air quality indicators
Average SO2 concentration in the Port (in μg/m3), 2014-2019
Average NOx concentration in the Port (in μg/m3), 2014-2019
Average PM10 concentration in the Port (in μg/m3), 2014-2019
The Port of Barcelona also has control, surveillance and action measures in place to ensure the quality of port land.
Preventing soil pollution
There is ongoing monitoring of the state of the subsoil in the port area under concession by terminals and operators, as well as in non-concession areas. When necessary, remedial actions on contaminated soils are taken either by the Port Authority.
The main soil remedial actions in 2019 were::
Costa wharf, in the section of a former collector of asphalt and hydrocarbon products.
Various hydrocarbon storage terminals.
Checks on dredging material
Volumes of dredging in works (in m3), 2016-2019
The APB practices selective waste collection, and in 2019 it managed a total of 1,114 tonnes of waste, internal or external, 95% of which were non-hazardous.
Waste management by the APB (in tonnes), 2014-2019
Types of waste managed by the APB (%), 2019
Ship-generated waste management - MARPOL Convention
Under the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, 1973, (“the Marpol Convention 1973-1978”), ports must have adequate reception facilities for ship's waste using a port service.
In 2019 the Port managed 197,812 m3 of MARPOL waste.
