Safety Health and Environmental Improvement Programs Rapidly Growing Port Laem Chabang
Safety Health and Environmental Improvement Programs Rapidly Growing Port Laem Chabang
Safety Health and Environmental Improvement Programs Rapidly Growing Port Laem Chabang
Safety, Health, and Environmental Improvement Programs in a Rapidly Growing Port: Laem Chabang
By Mr. Buncha Apai, Administrator 13, Office of the Director General, Laem Chabang Port; and Mr. Thongchai Thammapredee, Director, Port Operations Division, Laem Chabang Port
UN D P
United Nations Development Programme
onsidered to be Thailands most important deep sea port with a dominant share of 70 percent of the countrys sea transport volume, Laem Chabang Port (LCP) brims with potential to be a truly world-class port. Under the supervision of the Port Authority of Thailand (PAT), the ports development has been fast-tracked to serve the fast-growing industries in Chonburi Province as part of the Eastern Seaboard Development Project. Since its inaugural operations in January 1991, the port has been providing services to meet its government mandate of sustaining economic growth by facilitating maritime transport and international trade. Geographically advantaged to be situated in the crossroads of one of the fastest growing economic clusters in the world, Thailands Ministry of Transport has adopted a policy to promote LCP as the main trading gateway of Indochina. As a main port of Thailand, it can support largescale transportation of commodities in the region once some international mega-projects are completed in the near future, such as interconnecting routes to China and India, and trading routes in the Greater Mekong Subregion and the North-South Economic Corridor. In addition to these promising developments, the establishment of an ASEAN Economic Community also augurs well for the LCP. LCPs operations are supported by adequate resources, modern infrastructure and spacious facilities. It has a backup area of around 1,014 ha being used as container yard, empty container depot, warehouses, pre-delivering yard for exporting new cars, cargo distribution area, etc. The port has likewise reclaimed land of approximately 386 ha that is now serving as terminal backup area for 11 container terminals, two multipurpose terminals, one RO/
RO (roll on/roll off) terminal, one passenger and RO/RO terminal, one dry bulk terminal, and one general cargo and RO/RO terminal. The port has been providing services to various types of commodities with its existing capacity as shown in Table 1. The port has posted an impressive 11.64 percent growth rate in terms of containerized cargo handling, clearly showing its dramatic rise as one of the worlds busiest ports (Table 2). Table 1. Services provided to various types of commodities and capacities. Terminal type Container Ro/Ro Dry bulk General cargo Passenger Wharf length 2,800 m 1,315 m 450 m 1,250 m 365 m Capacity/year 7.6 million TEU 2.0 million units 1.1 million ton 3.0 million ton 70,000 DWT passenger ship
UNOPS
United Nations Office for Project Services
Table 2. Containerized cargo (million TEU). 2008 Unloaded Loaded Transshipment Total Percent Growth 2.573 2.646 0.021 5.240 12.91 2009 2.304 2.308 0.009 4.621 -11.80 2010 2.422 2.623 0.023 5.068 9.66 2011 2.761 2.875 0.047 5.658 11.64
Table 3. LCP cargo traffic forecast. 2012 Container (million TEU) Exported cars (million unit) General cargo (million ton) Bulk cargo (million) 5.992 1.005 2.901 0.551 2013 6.483 1.070 2.956 0.561 2014 6.991 1.140 3.002 0.570 2015 7.519 1.214 3.040 0.577
Table 4. Volume of solid and hazardous wastes generated by LCP operations. Solid waste 2007 2008 2009 2010 Total (kg/year) 552,000 558,540 569,000 550,000 Average (kg/day) 1,430 1,530 1,559 1,507 Hazardous waste 2007 2008 2009 2010 Total (kg/year) 53,840 62,787 n/a 81,520 Average (kg/day) 148 172 123 223
One of the most important roles of LCP is to serve as a hub of Thailand manufactured cars for exports. The Thai government relies on LCPs role to realize its vision of becoming a Detroit of Asia and become the largest carmaker and exporting base in the region. With LCPs stable performance, the anticipated volume for each type of cargo throughput in LCP in the next four years is shown in Table 3.
management, registration and notification for the collection of waste from the ships. The Marine Service Division is responsible for the collection of oily waste from ships while the Port Operation Division is responsible for oily waste from equipment and workshops in LCP. However, for regular operations, oily wastes are collected by licensed private waste collection operators and taken to treatment sites outside the port. In addition, sewage from ships is not being collected due to the relatively short time the ship stays in the port and sufficient holding tank capacity. The lack of clear procedures and regulations and the lack of transparency regarding fees and costs also add to the problem of collecting wastes from ships. Figure 1 gives an overall view of the flow of ship waste in LCP. With the aforementioned problems in ship waste collection and inadequate monitoring of waste handling procedures, LCPs waste management practices still needs a lot of improvement to better control health, safety and environmental aspects in the port.
standards, LCP is still considered at high risk due to the sheer volume of inbound and outbound dangerous goods cargo it is handling every year (more than one million tons). In November 2009, for instance, a fire incident on a container filled with 9,142 kg of bleach powder was reported when it was stacked in a container terminal. The incident caused damages to the ports immediate environment and portrayed a negative image of the port. With the high volume of dangerous cargo that LCP cannot just avoid or refuse to handle, it is imperative for the port to find more appropriate ways in managing dangerous cargo. This can also bring about more success in safety, health and environmental management in the port.
Port Security
LCP has been the focus of political protesters who wanted to interfere with port operations. Similar to other public enterprises, the port is sometimes vulnerable to these kinds of demonstrations. Furthermore, seaports are now known to be one of the places that are vulnerable to the risk of terrorism, involving, for example, destruction of property, port disruption and environmental damage to the country. This is one of the most important challenges to safety, health and environment, as well as security, that need to be addressed by LCP.
Table 6. Inbound Dangerous Cargoes (million tons). 2008 Class 1 Table 5. LCP Electric power consumption from 20072010 . 2007 Electric power (million unit) Growth (%) 48.647 2008 57.951 19.13 156.76 2.71 2009 59.687 3.00 186.27 3.12 2010 65.183 9.21 195.39 3.00 Class 2 Class 3 Class 4 Class 5 Class 6 Class 7 Class 8 Class 9 Total 0.004 0.041 0.151 0.062 0.051 0.052 0.111 0.161 0.637 2009 0.009 0.031 0.119 0.025 0.042 0.037 0.088 0.141 0.497 2010 0.015 0.040 0.149 0.033 0.068 0.050 0.115 0.191 0.665 2011 0.014 0.047 0.170 0.046 0.072 0.064 0.140 0.208 0.765
Table 7. Outbound Dangerous Cargoes (million tons). 2008 Class 1 Class 2 Class 3 Class 4 Class 5 Class 6 Class 7 Class 8 Class 9 Total 0.002 0.045 0.127 0.016 0.045 0.015 0.092 0.137 0.481 2009 0.001 0.036 0.113 0.014 0.053 0.011 0.075 0.092 0.398 2010 0.002 0.036 0.123 0.033 0.062 0.009 0.090 0.155 0.512 2011 0.002 0.050 0.121 0.033 0.072 0.016 0.109 0.164 0.571
In May 2012, the GIZ-supported project came up with a Port Waste Management Implementation Plan for LCP to be undertaken within a six-month duration. Green Port Program In 2010, Laem Chaebang Port initiated a Green Port program to address its carbon dioxide emissions. The port has decided to setup a Wind Farm Powerplant as a pilot project to increase the proportion of green energy to the ports total electricity consumption and thereby contribute to the curtailment of global warming. LCP hopes that the project will serve as a model project for other government agencies and private companies in Thailand, not only as a practical example of wind turbine farm development in Thailand but also as a good example of corporate social responsibility (CSR).
Upon the recommendation of LCPs project consultants from the Applied Research Center of Wind, Water and Solar Energy in the Faculty of Engineering of Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburito, 84 units of 18-m high wind turbines that have been researched and designed especially for ports will be installed in the first phase of the project. With a 10 kW/hr capacity, the combined power generation capacity of all 84 units is around 840 kW/hr. Interconnected by a grid inverter system, the wind turbine system is expected to generate electricity at an average of 2.5 million units/yr, which can also be expected to help decrease CO2 emissions to the atmosphere by about 1.4 million tons CO2/yr. With an investment budget of Baht 135 million, the project is now under the process of installing the turbines in the port site. Although its capacity may be quite small compared to bigger wind turbines in other ports in Asia and Europe (e.g.,1,250 or 1,500 kW/hr/unit,) this project can realize the LCPs intention of initiating a green port program that is suited to the natural conditions around the port. The project is expected to be completed by August 2012. With funding of around Baht 165 million, the second phase of this project will focus on research on the best alternative way of green electric power generation, such as solar and wind energy. The research will also review both good and weak points that have occurred in the first phase to come up with a better design and a more suitable model for the second phase. Low Carbon Port Program Carbon dioxide and other GHG emissions in LCP comes from two major sources: from
cargo handling equipment operated by terminal operators; and from ships calling the port. To address these problems, LCPs Low Carbon Port Program will encourage all private terminal operators in the port to switch from diesel fuel to electric power in operating cargo handling equipment. LCP will likewise apply more electric supply for ships berthing at the quay wall. Some private terminal operators, such as the LCB Container Terminal 1 Ltd, have actually started to modify their heavy duty handling equipment (e.g., Rubber Tyre Gantry (RTG) crane) from using only diesel fuel to electrical power. After connecting the RTGs to the terminal electricity supply, it is expected that a reduction of about 1.80 ton of CO2/yr will be achieved for the 20 RTGs in this terminal. In addition, since March 2009, Hutchison Laem Chabang Terminal Co., Ltd. has also started installing about 12 units of electric RTGs in container terminals C1 and C2. It is now the policy of LCP that all new RTG installations will be electric-powered to support LCPs Green Port Program. In fact, some private terminal operators are already in the process of modifying their heavy duty handling equipment in line with this policy. As for the electric supply for ships berthing at the quay wall, a feasibility study and engineering design for LCPs Phase III development will be undertaken and would involve the study and design for a Cold Ironing System. Construction work for the development of LCPs Phase III is expected to start by the year 2013 or 2014. The project will embark on the development of an innovative port, which aims to introduce green port improvements to the new terminal and
modify the old terminals to make them more environment-friendly. Natural Resources Conservation Situated in a coastal area of a Laem Chabang village, the port has a natural mangrove forest covering an area of about 4.5 ha that is teeming with fauna and flora species. To preserve its diversity, LCP, together with Laem Chabang Municipality and Kasetsart University, Sriracha campus, entered into a Memorandum of Understanding in the latter part of 2008 to collectively undertake activities that would preserve and rehabilitate the mangrove forest. This natural resources preservation program has also encouraged people to participate in many activities together such as collecting garbage, surveying types and density of mangrove plantation, replanting of the destroyed areas of the forest, monitoring sea water quality, etc. Moreover, academic activities have been conducted to enhance knowledge about environment and natural resource preservation to the village people and school and university students around the port. Furthermore, the forest is used as a recreation site for the general public.
LCP has likewise undertaken other activities related to natural resource rehabilitation, such as planting trees within and around the port. Port Air Emission Inventories Assessment From September to December 2010, an air emission inventory was carried out in Bangkok Port under the the GIZ/ASEAN Sustainable Port Development in the ASEAN Region project. With the successful implementation of the project in Bangkok Port, the GIZ started to provide similar technical assistance to LCP in 2011, carrying out an air emission inventory within the port covering the following sources: Port direct sources including all air pollution emission sources directly under the control and operation of the port administration entity, port-owned vehicles, buildings (e.g., boilers, furnaces, etc.), port-owned and operated cargo handling equipment, as well as any other emissions sources that are owned and operated by the port administrative authority. Port indirect sources including port purchased electricity for port administration-owned buildings and operations (excluding offsite tenant power and energy purchases). Other port indirect sources including tenant operations, ships, trucks, cargo handling equipment, rail locomotives, harbor craft, tenant buildings, and port and tenant employees commuting in the port. In addition, onsite emissions included if possible.
1. Ambient Air Quality (2 times/year) in 12 stations. 2. Noise Level (2 times/year) in 12 stations. 3. Wastewater from Water Treatment Plant (weekly) in 2 stations. 4. Seawater (4 times/year) in 11 stations. 5. Sediment in the Sea (2 times/year) in 11 stations. 6. Biological in the Sea (2 times/year) in 11 stations. 7. Coastal Change (1 time/year) in 9 stations. 8. Social and Economic (1 time/year) 4 stations. Results of ambient air quality examined from 2008-2010 showed that total suspended particle, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, total hydrocarbon and nitrogen dioxide in the port area and nearby communities are within the acceptable standards issued by the Department of Pollution Control, Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment. Tables 8 and 9 show some examples of the air quality monitoring results. With regard to seawater, biological and sediment monitoring, samples collected from 11 stations have shown that in spite of the fact that the port has been operating for more than 20 years already, environmental quality in the port is still in good condition (Table 10). Moreover, noise level, socioeconomic and coastal line monitoring have also been examined regularly for the past several years. The results showed that noise level is within the limitation standard, while erosion and sedimentation are acceptable. On the other hand, the socioeconomic survey revealed that
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0.050-0.078 0.044-0.115 0.078-0.152 0.013-0.047 0.014-0.089 0.013-0.037 0.028-0.067 0.177-0.323 0.009-0.033 0.020-0.029 0.033-0.054
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0.053-0.100 0.031-0.041 0.025-0.039 0.016-0.022 0.011-0.043 0.029-0.033 0.015-0.035 0.037-0.069 0.013-0.035 0.025-0.049 0.014-0.020
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0.068-0.112 0.039-0.069 0.045-0.063 0.044-0.062 0.056-0.076 0.021-0.056 0.015-0.039 0.058-0.207 0.013-0.022 0.016-0.027 0.013-0.050
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0.057-0.127 0.026-0.072 0.028-0.064 0.021-0.032 0.271-0.392 0.019-0.030 0.013-0.018 0.075-0.133 0.006-0.041 0.014-0.034 0.006-0.042
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0.210-0.239 0.036-0.062 0.219-0.245 0.022-0.031 0.029-0.086 0.032-0.041 0.038-0.042 0.091-0.226 0.025-0.043 0.042-0.098 0.033-0.052
0.033
the port activities have negatively impacted on the community around the port area mainly because of dust and massive traffic congestion. These adverse impacts are being taken into consideration by the port management to find areas for improvement and formulate appropriate action plans accordingly.
Checking Gate (Station 1) Checking Gate (Station 2) Entrance of Leam Chabang Port Laem Chabang Port Fire Protection Training Center Technology Sriracha School Tanaporn Witthaya School Terminal A4 Terminal B4 Standard
0.48-0.66
0.43-0.87
0.22-0.52
2.12-3.02
0.19-0.43
0.16-0.46
Table 10. Seawater quality analysis results from 2008-2011 (Laem Chabang Port Phase 2).
Sea Water Quality Analysis Results from 2008 - 2011 Parameters Temperature (0C) Transparency (m.) Conductivity (mhos/cm) pH Salinity (ppt) SS (mg/L) DO (mg/L) BOD5 (mg/L) Grease and Oil (mg/L) TCB (MPN/100 mL) Pb (g/L) Hg (g/L) Station 1 28.4 - 32.6 1.2 - 3.0 39,670 - 51,600 7.88 - 8.19 27.8 - 35.2 1.32 - 3.67 6.6 - 9.0 0.9 - 2.0 None to 0.7 2 - 2,400 <0.5 to 4.0 <0.05 to <0.1 Station 2 28.6 - 33.2 1.5 - 2.8 39,130 - 52,400 7.96 - 8.20 27.3 - 35.1 1.49 - 4.8 6.4 - 8.3 1.0 - 2.0 None to 0.8 <1.8 to 4,900 <0.5 to 3.0 <0.05 to <0.1 Station 3 26.9 - 33.4 1.0 - 2.2 39,430 - 52,200 7.89 - 8.24 28.3 - 35.4 1.24 - 3.86 7.0 - 8.0 <1.0 - 2.0 None to 0.6 <1.8 to 15 <0.5 to 4.0 <0.05 to <0.1 Station 4 27.0 - 33.4 0.4 - 2.5 38,950 - 51,400 7.88 - 8.23 28.0 - 34.1 2.03 - 5.1 6.4 - 8.0 <1.0 - 2.0 None to 0.8 <1.8 to 15 <0.5 to 3.0 <0.05 to <0.1 Station 5 29.6 - 33.7 1.0 - 2.5 39,280 - 52,100 7.97 - 8.31 26.3 - 35.0 4.1 - 10.42 6.4 - 8.0 1.0 - 2.0 None to 0.8 <1.8 to 4,900 <0.5 to 7.0 <0.05 to <0.1 Station 6 27.1 - 33.0 2.0 - 3.5 31,450 - 51,000 7.94 - 8.31 28.5 - 34.0 2.0 - 5.37 6.7 - 8.0 0.5 - 2.0 None to 0.7 <1.8 to 9 <0.5 to 5.0 <0.05 to <0.1 Standard N 7.0 - 8.5 N 4 * 1,000 8.5 0.1
Standard: Standard of Sea Water Quality (Class 5), Notification of National Environment Board, No. 27, 2006 (B.E. 2549)
Remarks: * = None visible Grease and Oil on water surface N = Not lower 10% than lowest turbidity of natural condition N = Variation not exceed than 10% of lowest salinity Legend: SS = suspended solids; DO = dissolved oxygen; BOD = biochemical oxygen demand; TCB = total coliform bacteria.
Lessons Learned
In the course of developing and implementing the PSHEMS, LCP has learned the following valuable lessons: It is important to have a dedicated working unit within the LCP organization that would oversee the development and implementation of PSHEMS. This requirement is essential in order to avoid the situation wherein no one wants to take responsibility and accountability on the activities required to develop and implement the PSHEMS. English proficiency plays a big role in the development and implementation of PSHEMS as it is a significant factor in the learning process of concerned personnel. Top management support is important for the sustainability of the PSHEMS. Trainings are very important to address the competency requirement of PSHEMS. Successive internal audits and management reviews are good in identifying areas for improvement. Technical assistance from a knowledgeable organization such as PEMSEA, significantly accelerates the pace of development and implementation of large projects like PSHEMS.
However, many aspects in relation to the PSHEMS such as the port regulations, air emission inventory, sustainable waste management system, green energy project, etc., are still under development. Hopefully, when these programs are already being fully implemented, more positive results from the PSHEMS initiative can be realized. The preparation of this case study was supported by the Yeosu Project and Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea, and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). First published in Tropical Coasts Vol. 17 No. 2, Scaling Up Integrated Coastal Management: Case Studies in Sustainable Development.
Conclusion
Since the adoption of PSHEMS as a part of the integrated management system of LCP, positive results have been generated. The ports safety and health conditions have been improved by regularly implementing and doing internal audits in order to better conform to the PSHEM Code. Moreover, environmental quality has been within the acceptable standards of related government agencies.
For comments and suggestions, please contact: Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) P.O. Box 2502, Quezon City 1165 Philippines Tel.: (+63 2) 929 2992 Fax: (+63 2) 926 9712 Email: [email protected] www.pemsea.org