North Adriatic Sea Port Authority (NASPA) comprehends the ports of Venice and Chioggia: a single system for what was historically defined as the “Venetian Lagoon Port“. NASPA, recognising the high value of this lagoon area, encourages sustainability in port activities and acts to preserve the environment that enshrines the city of Venice: a unique UNESCO scenario due to its geographical, socio-economical, environmental and cultural heritage.
Thanks to the cofounding of Adrion SUPAIR project, NASPA, bearing in mind its Operational Plan purposes to enhance sustainable development, as well as its Environmental Policy objectives defined according to ISO 14001, has further committed to pursue its environmental protection targets, in particular in terms of improving energy efficiency in the Port of Venice to finally tackle CO2 emissions. This maintaining a modern multipurpose port vision, while fostering the aim of working as a low carbon port.
Therefore, according to the principle of continuous improvement, pictured in the “Plan – Do – Check – Act” cycle, NASPA has framed the SUPAIR activities starting from the definition of state of the art and embracing a “3 steps strategy”: from reduction of energy needs, to further technological improvements, to the final adoption of renewable sources of energy.
Also, recognising the importance of stakeholders involvement, NASPA promoted workshops with terminal operators that led to fruitful technical discussions where sustainability actions have been identified in terms of improving buildings and port grid energy performances, as well as improving port machinery energy efficiency, and developing green transfer services. During those stakeholders’ technical meetings also sustainability measures have been identified, such as the development of an analysis of best practices in port operations that have been carried out for outputs dissemination to port community. Also, a questionnaire to monitor energy consumption related to terminals has been cooperatively developed with the aim of finally share among port operators progresses carried out year by year to foster improvement in general.
In conclusion, SUPAIR project, thanks to the sustainability actions and measures identified and adopted by NASPA, allowed to improve energy efficiency in the Port of Venice. This shown to be in line with NASPA programmatic and steering documents, as well as with the European Sea Ports Organization (ESPO) Top 10 Environmental Priorities, where energy consumption and climate change are listed, and also in response to the European Green Deal agenda.
The document produced is available here.