The survey, conducted by ICM research on behalf of Royal Haskoning, revealed that economic uncertainty has meant that maintaining operational and cost efficiency has been the main priority for ports over the last year as they attempt to manage the effects of the global recession. An industrious thirty-four percent believe they need to commercialise their under utilised assets in order to secure their future. However, port decision makers predict a shift in priorities over the next 12 months as the global recession eases and renewed demands are placed on marine and maritime industries to implement their environmental strategies. One in five UK ports claim environmental compliance is already their number one priority, but this figure is expected to rise with 81% of UK ports planning to train their existing employees to increase their environmental skills base.

Rise of the ‘green port’
This shift in priorities within British ports is already underway, thanks to the expected increase in regulatory scrutiny, but also to a growing eco-consciousness and a recognition of the long-term environmental, social and economic benefits achieved by effective environmental management. More than half (57%) of UK port decision makers feel they must take responsibility for providing resources in order to achieve environmental compliance and have already taken steps to improve the environmental sustainability of their ports:

-	Eighty-seven per cent claim to have made a more efficient use of energy;
-	Four out of five claim to have reduced their carbon emissions into air and water;
-	Forty-three per cent have introduced sustainable drainage systems;
-	More than three quarters (78%) have removed or treated contaminated materials;
-	Half of those surveyed are also using alternative, low carbon, renewable materials.

Environmental knowledge not matched with actionable strategies
Encouragingly, a quarter of port decision makers would invest in implementing ‘green’ technologies, whilst almost one in five (19%) would be interested in future proofing and ‘what-if’ scenario modelling. But whilst an interest and willingness to improve their green credentials exists, many ports don’t know how to apply this in practical terms. Despite significant steps having been made in the right direction, the research reveals that UK ports are in need of support in order to meet the increased environmental requirements being placed on them. One in five port decision makers (18%) only feel somewhat prepared in establishing and maintaining their environmental strategies, and almost a quarter (22%) don’t feel they have enough access to resources to help them meet these regulatory requirements. In addition, about one in ten UK ports do not have any environmental policy in place, whilst one in twenty question whether climate change will have any effect at all on their ports.

“UK ports are steadily recognising the need to implement environmental strategies and it is encouraging to see that so many recognise that they still have a long way to go in terms of doing enough. But there is still a sizeable number that are failing to take any action at all, with almost one in ten ports (9%) not planning to do anything in the next 12 months or unsure of what they should be doing,” commented Richard Marks, a Chartered Civil Engineer in Royal Haskoning’s Maritime division.

“Ports are extremely important to local and national economies, and it is therefore imperative that they remain compliant, particularly in light of mounting pressure to adhere to new legislative demands,” continues Sian John, Environment UK Director at Royal Haskoning. “We must encourage and assist UK ports, within the current financial constraints, to introduce and maintain practical measures that will enable them to both comply with legislation and achieve the objectives of their environmental policies.”

Royal Haskoning today hosts its Green Ports conference in Kensington, London, which will bring port owners and terminal operators together to meet and hear the views of a panel of industry experts. As part of its commitment to helping ports develop environmental strategies as legislation in this area increases and the importance of good environmental management comes to the fore, this one day event will address how European ports can maintain their environmental strategies.