Safety and sustainability go hand-in-hand in Port operations

Safety and sustainability go hand-in-hand in Port operations

Protecting people and the environment to keep supply chains moving

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May. 24, 2021 6:00 a.m. | IMPRESS

Work is underway on another expansion to increase capacity and improve efficiency at DP World Prince Rupert Fairview Container Terminal. As construction ramps up, it is paramount that daily operations at the facility remain safe and sustainable, not only to keep global supply chains flowing, but to ensure workers are protected and the environment surrounding them is preserved.

Tasked with maintaining high safety standards to support that fluidity is Ben Pandher, DP World Prince Rupert’s Manager of Health, Safety and Environment. His team is responsible for risk reduction and improvement, taking a proactive approach to eliminating or minimizing risks that make the workplace unsafe or harm the environment.

“We measure our success by the well-being of our people and the environment,” said Pandher. “We strive to set the standards for our industry and fulfil all regulatory requirements, by listening to our people, and consulting and involving them in our health, safety and environment decisions.”

Safely operating a busy intermodal terminal while minimizing impacts on the environment is a team effort, and it’s this framework of operational excellence that has helped DP World Prince Rupert earn Green Marine verification.

Green Marine is the premier environmental certification program for the North American maritime industry, addressing key issues regarding air, land, and water pollution. Participants are audited by a third-party expert, who grades them on a series of performance indicators. To maintain certification, participants must demonstrate year-over-year improvement.

The Prince Rupert Port Authority (PRPA) was an early adopter of Green Marine and has been participating in the program for a decade, taking an aggressive and proactive approach to environmental sustainability. To align efforts and raise the collective standards across the Port of Prince Rupert, PRPA has influenced numerous terminals and operators to join Green Marine, including Fairview Container Terminal.

DP World Prince Rupert was recertified in 2020, earning the highest possible scores for environmental leadership, community impacts and prevention of spills and leakages. To achieve this, they have implemented an environmental management system, employed advanced technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect from spills, as well as set reduction goals to further mitigate the impacts of terminal activity on the environment.

As work progresses on expanding intermodal capacity at the Port, Pandher and others at Fairview Terminal will remain vigilant to maintain this high standard of safety and environmental performance, through a Zero Harm approach.

“Our approach is based on caring for our people, environment, and the communities in which we work. Our goal is to make sure everyone goes home safe, and the environment is protected and enhanced wherever possible.”

To learn more about the Port’s approach to safety and environment visit rupertport.com/sustainability.