The Taiwan International Ports Corp said yesterday that the Port of Kaohsiung has recently earned “EcoPorts” status from the European Sea Ports Organization, making it the first seaport in the Asia-Pacific region to receive the recognition.
Liu Chiu-mei (劉秋梅), who is secretary-general of the corporation’s branch office in Greater Kaohsiung, said the EcoPorts concept highlights the importance of balancing the pursuit of economic benefits with environmental protection during the development of a seaport.
Liu said about 50 seaports around the world have obtained the certification from the European organization, including ports in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, Dover in the UK and Bremen in Germany.
“Aside from enhancing Kaohsiung Port’s competitiveness and publicity, the certification will also reshape the nation’s image in the international community,” Liu said. “Because of this status, ships departing from the Port of Kaoshiung will receive friendly treatment when they arrive in Europe and the US,” she said.
Kaohsiung Port was evaluated on a number of aspects, Liu said.
“As a state-run corporation, we volunteered to reduce our consumption of gas, electricity, water and paper, as well as to increase the use of the recyclable materials, which reduced our carbon emissions by about 20,000 metric tonnes,” she said.
Liu added that the seaport is the nation’s first container terminal to use solar and wind energy, producing approximately 170,000 kilowatt-hours per year.
Meanwhile, the seaport reserved about 13 hectares of land for migratory birds while working on the Nanshing Free Trade Port Zone project.
The seaport is scheduled to receive the award on Friday next week, she said.
In related news, combined passenger volume at Keelung, Taipei and Suao ports could top 800,000 visitors this year, due to the booming tourism industry and cross-strait sea lines.
Statistics from the corporation’s branch office in Keelung said that the three seaports had processed more than 500,000 passengers by early last month, adding that passenger volume could reach 850,000 next year.
The company said Keelung Port is in an ideal location to develop cruise ship tours, as it is between the northeast and southeast Asian regions.
“As new cruise ship routes have developed in the nation’s outlying islands and new cruise lines from China have begun, new business possibilities for cross-strait sea lines have opened up,” the corporation said.
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