The Vancouver Port Authority (VPA), along with the Greater Vancouver Regional District and the provincial and federal governments, is looking at ways to curb emissions as the port prepares to expand.
John Newhook, a senior engineer with the Greater Vancouver Regional District's (GVRD) policy and planning department, who monitors air quality at the port and across the region, says increased container traffic is expected to boost Vancouver's smog output to 39,000 tonnes from 26,000 tonnes between 2000-2025.
"It's a challenge because you have so many players to deal with," says Newhook.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulates ship emissions on the open ocean while Transport Canada sets regulations within Canadian waters, with input from Environment Canada. Ottawa is attempting to bring Canada in line with new IMO emission standards.
"The new ships are going to be cleaner than the old ships, but even when you take that into consideration, the (emission) forecasts are higher," says Newhook.
Container traffic at the port's Burrard Inlet terminals is expected to increase 360,000 twenty-foot-equivalent units per year by the end of 2005, while all traffic is expected to triple over the next 20 years as the VPA's Deltaport near Tsawwassen also expands.
"The biggest challenge is the fact that we don't have jurisdiction - that's the challenge," says Newhook, adding his group tries to "pressure" others to reduce emissions.
"So we have to work co-operatively to get these emission reductions in place.
"Hopefully, what will happen is, we won't actually see this increase from 26,000 to 36,000 tonnes, because we'll do something about (preventing) it - but we can't do it alone."
In addition to smog, harmful emissions - such as nitrous oxide - are also expected to increase. Newhook says contaminants from ocean-going vessels are expected to exceed those from light-duty vehicles in coming years.
The GVRD is introducing sulphur-emission control areas, which are slated to be implemented over five years. According to Newhook, fuel sold in Vancouver contains much less sulphur than fuel endorsed by the International Maritime Organization.
He says sulphur-related emission reductions must be done on an international basis to avoid complaints about unfair competition. But he contends that emission-reduction efforts will not spell big cost increases for businesses.
According to an Environment Canada official, the IMO has proposed the establishment of sulphur-emission control areas near home ports. Vancouver would be subject to federal law while other ports would have to abide by laws in their nations.
However, IMO signatories, including Canada, will vote on the plan, which could take several years.
On a dollar-per-pound basis, says Newman, the cost of port emission reductions is quite cheap compared to increases that electricity co-generation plant operators and new-vehicle drivers face.
Increased traffic from trucks and trains that pick up and move containers to other parts of B.C. and North America will also boost emissions, he adds.
"I would say right now we're optimistic that we'll make some improvements," says Newhook.
Since emission reductions will likely take several years, the GVRD is working with the port authority, B.C. Chamber of Shipping, Fraser Valley Regional District, U.S.-based Northwest Air Pollution Authority and other jurisdictions to implement change.
"Probably the easiest thing you can do is just use a cleaner fuel," said Newhook.
In the spring, the GVRD will release a draft of its air quality management plan for the entire region, including the port, for further discussion. The final plan is expected by fall.
Morris Mennell, Environment Canada's head of air quality for the Yukon and Pacific regions, says it was not until recently that research confirmed ships are significant emitters.
"What is currently a major source of emissions, if not controlled properly, could be an even bigger problem," says Mennell from his Vancouver office.
He says Vancouver's increased container traffic can't help but increase emissions unless measures are taken to reduce them.
Mennell says he does not know whether emission-reduction efforts will lead to more costs for shippers and other businesses.
But, he adds, shippers have indicated they are willing to abide by new sulphur-emission rules as long as they apply to all North American ports.
Canada, the U.S. and Mexico will likely comply with the measures, but other ports across the Pacific may not. Mennell says China appears to have high-content sulphur fuel that allows its ships to travel back and forth across the Pacific on one tank.
Some ships may use two tanks - one with high sulphur content and one with low sulphur content for use in North American waters.
In Los Angeles, a lawsuit was avoided when the Chinese Overseas Shipping Co. agreed to plug its ships into on-port power outlets rather than burn fuel, he adds.
Vancouver's port does not offer electrical outlets on its port for the purpose of powering ships. Mennell says a ship plugging into a dock is like a car plugging into a block heater - but on a much greater and possibly costlier scale.
He praises the VPA for increasing staff levels and introducing emission-reduction efforts.
"To be honest, it's a fairly new issue," Mennell says, noting ship emissions already exceed heavy-duty truck emissions.
Emission-reduction plans can be difficult because of the many jurisdictions involved and the fact that many companies are based offshore, he adds. But all sides now appear to be working together to find a solution.
"We view that (co-operation) from different perspectives," says Mennell. "The shippers are concerned about their costs, the ports are concerned about their relationships (with customers) and we're concerned about air quality."
VPA spokesman Jon Hicke says his organization has established a special group to facilitate communication between the marine industry and the federal government on ship emissions.
A co-operative approach, based on good scientific data, will facilitate opportunities to reduce emissions, he adds.
The VPA has held discussions about onshore green power with BC Hydro and Hydrogen-Enable, but Hicke says a study by the two groups and another study by Environment Canada indicate it is one of the most costly alternatives for reducing emissions.
"Costs are associated not only with the power itself, but with the retrofit required at the ships, the retrofit at the terminals, and the limitation of the utility to supply green power, and at times of high demand any power at all, for this use," Hicke says.
"The biggest disadvantage of this option is that shore power would only apply to vessels at dock, representing only a portion of the emissions generated. It would not change the emissions as the ship is manoeuvring, under way, or at anchor."
He adds that cargo ships at Vancouver's port do not use their main engines when alongside, but only auxiliary engines that are already less polluting as they function on marine diesel and not thicker Bunker C fuel.
The VPA is trying to improve air quality and lower greenhouse gas emissions by increasing fuel efficiency.
Hicke says the port has succeeded in reducing truck emissions with its container reservation system, which was implemented in 1999.
Wait times for trucks entering terminals to load goods has been reduced from two hours to an average of 20 minutes, "severely cutting back the amount of time spent idling," says Hicke.
Container ships are also spending less time in port. The average time a ship stays in port has dropped to 2.15 days from 2.74 days in 1999.
The port authority says about 10,000 truck trips a year may be eliminated when Axis, a Richmond-based full-service trans-shipment intermodal yard developed by the Port of Vancouver and private sector partners, comes online.
The VPA is also conducting road and rail study at Roberts Bank, where the VPA is launching its Deltaport expansion.
It plans to file its application for environmental approval on the Deltaport expansion sometime this month.
