The Port Authority of Santa Cruz de Tenerife will begin to apply in its ports, at the end of this year, a new ordinance whose objective is to limit the atmospheric pollution that is produced in them, referring not only to the emission of polluting gases, but, especially, to noise pollution.
Thus, after its approval by the Board of Directors in yesterday’s ordinary session, and three months after its publication in the corresponding official bulletin, it will begin to be applied, specifically, in the docking of regular line ships, loading and unloading operations merchandise and land operations in port terminals.
This new rule basically establishes the obligation for passenger ships that dock at docks where the electricity supply system is available to connect to the network, as well as containers with refrigerated cargo that are in terminals with said provision.
The ports of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, La Palma and La Gomera already offer the connection service to the electricity grid for vessels with regular traffic during their stay in port, especially at night. But not all these units are already adapted to service, which will force the Port Authority to assign them another berth further from the city center.
The new ordinance also requires that the refrigerated containers be connected to the electrical network in the merchandise or mixed terminals equipped with the service, while limiting the stay in the port of the refrigerated containers that are going to be shipped, since they will not be able to access the terminal before 24 hours are up for boarding. In the opposite operation, of those who disembark, if the terminal does not offer an electrical connection, only those who must pass customs or health inspection the next day will remain in port overnight.
In this regard, an extraordinary session of the Port Administration Council will be convened soon to urge the Ministry of Territorial Policy to provide the phytosanitary control services in the port of Tenerife with the personnel necessary to carry out these tasks on Sundays.
Returning to the noise control standard, it also seeks to regulate the sound level of the alarms typical of the movement of the machinery with which the port cargo handling service is provided. Thus, it highlights the need to combine the fact that they are perfectly audible, with the fact that they cause the least inconvenience to people outside the operation.
Thus, the Port Authority advances in its goal of integrating the port with the city, implementing measures that allow it to integrate into the daily life of urban centers.
Carlos González, president of the Port Authority of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, stated in this regard that “we are clear that the path towards sustainability of port activity and port-city integration necessarily involves addressing the challenge of atmospheric and noise pollution, with initiatives that will result in the well-being of citizens and of which this new regulation is an example”.
Award
As for the awards section, the one corresponding to the reinforcement and fitting-out works of the 1st alignment of the Dique del Este, in the port of Tenerife, awarded to Eneas Servicios Integrales SA/GRULOP 21, SL, for 2,725,639.63 stands out. and a term of execution of twelve months.
Given the age of the East Breakwater, Puertos de Tenerife reported that it is working on adapting it to the current load conditions required by regulations for this purpose. In the same way, it is wanted to take advantage of it for the reinforcement of the dock in such a way that it allows the operation of mobile cranes on caterpillars with a lifting capacity of 600 tons.
