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Belfast looks to the stars to cut emissions

[ September 16, 2024   //   ]

Belfast Harbour will welcome the first ever European Space Agency (ESA) Port Decarbonisation and Environmental Sustainability Workshop on 17 September.

At the one-day event, hosted jointly by the port, ESA’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) programme, Redshift Associates and the UK Space Agency, experts from the maritime and space sectors will discuss the most pressing issues facing the industry sector today, focusing on the role of space technologies in the green transition for ports around Europe, especially digitalisation of operations.

Belfast Harbour already uses advanced energy monitoring systems that take in energy data from across its estate to allow for more informed decision-making.

In its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) report published this summer, Belfast Harbour said it had achieved a 57% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, against a baseline year of 2015, with a reduction of 18% in emissions in 2023 alone. The organisation is expected to reach net zero in its direct operations well ahead of its 2030 target.

Digital Transformation Manager, Laura O’Neill, said: “As a busy port which is committed to carrying out its operations in a cleaner, greener way, technology plays a vital role in Belfast Harbour’s journey towards promoting greater sustainability. Not only is it helping us to gain greater insight into our day-to-day operations, it is also giving us the information we need to find more effective and innovative ways of reducing our impact upon the environment.

“We are delighted that Belfast Harbour has been chosen as the venue for the first-ever workshop of this kind to be organised by ESA. It is also great news for the city and region. The event gives us the opportunity to showcase the work we are doing within our Port and our Estate to an audience of key experts who can offer new insights and advice into how we can continue our journey towards becoming a net zero organisation, while supporting our customers and tenants along the way.”

Rita Rinaldo, ESA head of applications, projects and studies, added: “The maritime sector forms a vital part of our work and we continue to provide funding and expertise to a wide range of companies across Europe, who are developing vital solutions to the challenges facing our ports and oceans.

“In January 2024, we launched the Space for Maritime Sustainability Task Force, which brings together numerous players from across the maritime sector, to engage with us in innovative projects supporting the decarbonisation and using space technologies to strengthen the maritime economy across Europe and beyond. We look forward to announcing today a dedicated sub-group of the Task Force for port representatives, dedicated to addressing the specific needs of ports.”

UK Space Agency deputy chief executive and chief delivery officer Chris White-Horne explained that over half of the 50 most useful variables for assessing climate change are obtained through the unique vantage point of satellite data.

He added: “This important event at Belfast Harbour is key to the UK Space Agency’s mission to protect the planet and outer space. We are looking forward to exploring the ways we can address port decarbonisation, more efficiently use ports via space data, and how we can work together to tackle the unique environmental challenges in the maritime industry.”

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