Within the framework of the Port Commission of the Port Houston Authority, it was confirmed that Port Houston’s initiatives to reduce emissions, such as the acquisition of hybrid equipment, are generating measurable results, with several improvements compared to the 2019 Goods Movement Emissions Inventory (GMEI) report.
“Since 2019, our total tonnage and container volume have increased by 16% and 28%, respectively, but related greenhouse gas emissions have only increased by 10%,” noted Ric Campo, Chairman of the Port Commission of the Port Houston Authority.
“We have incorporated 280 pieces of cargo handling equipment, but nitrogen oxide and particulate matter emissions have decreased by 7% and 4%. Emissions of criteria pollutants, which are common air pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act, have been reduced by between 2% and 7%. These results demonstrate that our emission reduction efforts are working and that we are heading in the right direction,” he added.
The Port Commission also approved measures related to a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Ports Program (CPP). With this approval, Port Houston will collaborate with strategic partners and advance several sustainability initiatives.
These include the development of a GHG emissions inventory for the port’s Scopes 1, 2, and 3; the development of a Climate Action Plan for the port area and neighboring communities; a truck route analysis under the CPP program; the creation of a collaboration with the trucking industry; and the design of a customized website for Port of Houston Partners in Maritime Education, a non-profit organization that promotes the development of the maritime workforce in local schools.
During the meeting, Chairman Campo also announced the culmination of a historic milestone. The dredging led by Port Houston for the expansion of the Houston Ship Channel, known as Project 11, is officially complete.
The final Aids to Navigation (ATONs) are expected to be marked in the coming days, and the widened channel will be fully open through Galveston Bay, which will help improve bidirectional navigation throughout the Houston Channel.
“This expansion work helps secure the future of the Houston Ship Channel, as well as the jobs that depend on it. This is a historic milestone, and I congratulate the Port Houston team, elected officials, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and industry partners who helped prioritize the project,” Campo remarked.
