Promoting sustainability in African ports
Benchmarking programme kicks off in Ghana and Côte D’Ivoire
WEST AFRICA: A project aimed at promoting the sustainability transition of West and Central Africa ports saw the recent piloting of a benchmarking programme at the Ports of Tema in Ghana and Abidjan in Côte D’Ivoire that prioritises the measurement of waste management, air quality, energy efficiency and coastal erosion.
Maritime & Transport Business Solutions BV (MTBS) was appointed by the World Bank for the development of environmental performance standards for Port Management Association Of West And Central Africa (PMAWCA). The overall goal is to promote the through the establishment of a cooperative and collaborative charter.
Using a web-based tool that allows users to gain insights into their performance through a self-assessment survey, MTBS will provide recommendations that promote awareness, policies, monitoring techniques and operations at the port.
The benchmarking programme was developed by MTBS in collaboration with the Netherlands Expert Group for Sustainable Transport and Logistics (NESTRA) to improve positive environmental and social impacts from their operational activities and infrastructure development while reducing negative impacts on proximate coastal ecosystems and living communities.
The expected outcome of the Project will be a self-sustaining process of continuous improvement in environmental and social sustainability among the port authorities and associated actors in the port sector for the targeted region.
A group of international and local experts discussed the baseline conditions at the pilot ports, opportunities for the sustainable development of port operations and options to invest in and encourage environmentally friendly and sustainable operations in different formats at the ports.
PHOTO: Port of Abidjan (Adobe Photostock)
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