LLC Vostochnaya Stevedoring Company (“VSC”, a Global Ports group company) has fulfilled a plan of environmental actions designed to move to environmentally friendly coal handling processes and to create favorable environment for life and health of Nakhodka residents, Global Ports says in press release.
The plan was developed following execution of a five-party Agreement On Cooperation in Taking Measures to Ensure Favorable Environmental Conditions for Life and Health of the Nakhodka Population and to Minimize Adverse Environmental Impact of the Coal Handling Operations. The Agreement was signed in June 2018 between VSC, Federal Agency of Sea and River Fleet (“Rosmorrechflot”), Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resources (“Rosprirodnadzor”), Administration of the Primoriye Region and FGUP Rosmorport. Under the Agreement VSC committed to implement in its operations by 2020 technologies minimizing the environmental impact of the terminal’s operations.
In 2018-2019 the company was implementing a comprehensive program to move to cargo handling processes that are as safe as possible for the environment. The total investments made by Vostochnaya Stevedoring Company in the environmental program from 2017 to 2019 amounted to over 680 mln Rubles.
At the first stage in 2018 the terminal erected 970 meters of 16-meter high wind and dust protection screens along the perimeter of the coal unloading and accumulation yard. The company is now using seven hybrid SKADO Polecat dust suppression cannons designed to reduce concentration of coal dust in the air at all stages of the operating cycle. It also introduced in its coal handling technology a system of surface watering of coal stacks with a solution based on Aquasin superabsorbent that ensures formation of a stable wind protection crust. To protect the harbour waters from pollution during loading of coal onto vessels VSC now uses protection curtains that are fixed between the vessel and the berth and prevent coal from spilling and falling into the sea.
In 2019 the fleet of VSC’s equipment was expanded to include specialized cleaning equipment – a mobile vacuum machine DISAB and a KamAZ truck equipped with watering and cleaning, sand throwing, ploughing and brushing tools. New machines are used to quickly clean the driveways at the terminal from coal dust and spills.
To ensure quick and environmentally friendly loading of coal in 2019 the company purchased and put into operation two telescopic stacking conveyor systems – Telestack feeder bunker and stacker equipped with the Cleaveland cascade system. The system is a telescopic loading device for high performance dust-free loading of bulk materials into open vessel holds. Dust-proof loading device is in continuous contact with the loaded material which ensures reduced separation of light fractions during coal handling. The process minimizes the risk of dust emission and potential pollution of the environment, improves conditions and safety for the personnel, prevents spillage during reloading and transportation of coal.
Pursuant to the terms of the agreement VSC performed an ongoing environmental monitoring. The company performs a round-the-clock monitoring of the air quality using a device for automated emission control and a meteorological station installed at the automated meteorological parameter monitoring point at a control point on the boundary of the sanitary protection zone of the company. Topas dust scanner data is directly transferred to the server of the Far East Interregional Department of Rosprirodnadzor and FBGU Primoriye Territorial Administration for Hydrometeorological and Environmental Monitoring.
At the same time Vostochnaya Stevedoring Company is taking environmental measures to create a sanitary protection zone of the terminal. In 2018 over seventy trees of various species were planted in the VSC premises – birch, lilac, alder, maple – which as they grow will create a natural barrier.
An important event of 2019 was the creation of the Foundation for Support of Public Initiatives Atmosphere which VSC formed to implement environmental, social and cultural programmes within the Nakhodka urban district and Wrangel micro-district. The first major project of the Foundation was the construction in Wrangel of an Ecological Park with playgrounds for children and sportsgrounds. This new park which became a favourite place for the village residents opened in November 2019.
Efficiency of VSC’s environmental program was confirmed by its successful passing of the state environmental expert audit in 2019. The relevant opinion was approved by the Order of the Pacific Ocean Sea Department of Rosprirodnadzor (Russian Natural Resource Supervisory Authority).