The Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the two agencies was the first of its kind in South Carolina and is the state’s longest-running collaboration on air quality within the public sector.

The new agreement continues work begun in 2007 to improve air quality in the area and expands the SCPA’s commitments to evaluate and implement ways to minimize emissions at the port and across the tri-county region. The MOA took effect on March 31 and runs through the fall of 2018, with the opportunity to renew.

“This is a great example of interagency cooperation at the state level to support job creation and improve quality of life for our citizens,” said Gov. Nikki Haley. “As we continue to streamline processes to help businesses grow in our state, this voluntary collaboration helps the environment without adding red tape.”

“Our partnership with DHEC is an integral part of our overall environmental efforts, recognizing that a healthy, working port and a cleaner environment can be mutually compatible goals,” said Jim Newsome, president and CEO of the SCPA. “The Port of Charleston today is known as a leader among ports in this region for environmental stewardship. We will continue to make environmental gains through efforts aligned with the competitiveness of our industry.”

As part of the agreement, DHEC will provide technical assistance and expertise in support of the SCPA’s operational improvements and environmental efforts.

“This agreement is above and beyond what the law requires,” said DHEC Director Catherine Templeton. “This collaboration is a practical example of pursuing economic development while taking voluntary measures to reduce impacts and responsibly protect the environment.”

The SCPA has committed in the MOA to a number of specific air quality measures, which include:

Funding an ambient air monitoring station within the Charleston region that will measure air quality for a period of 23 months;

Replacing retired equipment with cleaner equipment at all facilities;

Designing the South Carolina Inland Port in Greer to accommodate electric gantry cranes for stacking containers;

Continuing to use ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) fuel in all port-owned equipment and evaluate the use of cleaner fuels and new technology that is commercially viable;

Requiring clean construction contractor guidelines for Tier 2 or higher emissions standards for equipment as well as the use of ULSD; and

Continuing periodic air emissions inventories to quantify port-wide air emissions.

The Port of Charleston was the first port in the region to commission a comprehensive air emissions inventory. The baseline inventory measured 2005 port-related air quality from the sea buoy to the county lines of Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties – an area of roughly 2,500 square miles – and indicated that port-related emissions accounted for five percent or less of total pollutants in the area.

Subsequent inventories to measure 2011 and 2017 port-related air emissions will track the effect of the SCPA’s truck replacement program and repower projects for cargo-handling equipment as well as new federal fuel standards for ocean-going vessels calling North American ports. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the Emissions Control Area (ECA) regulation will reduce ship-related air pollution by up to 85 percent.

Since 2007, the local maritime community has successfully received Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding to help implement more than $5.5 million in various retrofits, upgrades and engine replacements to container-handling equipment, trucks, tugs and other marine equipment.

In addition, the MOA recognizes operational productivity, such as low turn times for trucks, high crane production and the SCPA’s rail drayage program, as key to air emissions reduction. These efforts mean ships spend less time at the SCPA’s docks and trucks are processed in and out of the terminals more rapidly and log fewer empty miles on local roadways.

The cranes have a span of 43 m and can span 14 containers wide and stack 1 over 6 containers high. The cranes have a wide leg and narrow leg outreach of 17.5 m and 16.5 m respectively, giving a total bridge length of 77 m. The cranes have a safe working load of 40 tonnes under a telescopic spreader and the lift height over the rail is 21m.Other recent deliveries of RMGs include two RMG cranes to the port of Southampton and two RMG cranes for Vladivostok, Russia. Speaking about the order, Liebherr Container Cranes’ sales and marketing manager Mr Gerry Bunyan said: “Traditionally Liebherr have supplied RMGs to intermodal and port terminals in Ireland, UK and in Europe. This new order represents Liebherr’s first supply of rail mounted gantry cranes to the Middle East, an area where Liebherr have for many years supplied ship to shore container cranes and rubber tyre gantry cranes. This delivery of RMGs represents a further expansion of our product range in the region.”

The cranes have been ordered by Sinopec E&C Middle East Co. Ltd. on behalf of Sabic.

The shiploader was swung from the ‘BigLift’ vessel and placed directly on to its rails on the wharf, which will eventually extend 1.4 kilometres from shore.

The shiploader was manufactured offshore and transported to the Pilbara in modular form by the specialist heavy-lift ship. The modular design meant a narrow timeframe was necessary to transfer the 1,000-tonne shiploader from the vessel to its position, minimising the safety hazard in the works and improving the construction time. Unloading and erection was completed within a few days.

Rio Tinto Pilbara Projects chief operating officer Michael Gollschewski said the shiploader was a major component of infrastructure in the expansion programme and it was exciting to see it secured in place.

“The last time we received a new shiploader was in 2007, also at Cape Lambert, on the existing wharf as part of the capacity expansion to 220 million tonnes a year. This is a powerful visible reminder that we are progressing rapidly towards the reaching our interim target of achieving 290 million tonne annual capacity for the Pilbara operations,” he said.

“The shiploader joins the two new stackers, two reclaimers and a new car dumper in the newly constructed stockyard for the Cape Lambert expansion, which means all of our major coastal infrastructure for the 290 Mt/a project is now safely on site and in place ensuring a major element of risk has now been resolved.”

The expansion is progressing rapidly and to schedule, with a variety of inland mine, rail and support infrastructure projects also forging ahead.

The new Cape Lambert wharf is being constructed in two stages with the first stage to be completed in the third quarter of 2013, consisting of a two-sided berth that will provide facilities and loading for two very large ore carriers with the capacity to deliver up to 250,000 tonnes of iron ore to each.

Work on the second stage (phase B), will add a 400-metre wharf extension with another two berths, this second stage is already well advanced, with all dredging requirements and majority of piling now completed. Once all works have been completed the Cape Lambert port will have the largest export capacity of the three iron ore port assets owned by Rio Tinto.
 
The Rio Tinto expansion of its Pilbara operations is the largest integrated mining project in Australian history, and is on track to complete the announced schedule: 

1. 225 Mt/a by Q1 2011 – Dampier port debottlenecking (complete)
2. 230 Mt/a – Dampier port incremental (complete)
3. 290 Mt/a by Q3 2013 – Cape Lambert 60 Mt/a increment (in implementation)
4. 360 Mt/a in H1 2015 – Cape Lambert 50 Mt/a increment and car dumper replacement 20 Mt/a increment (infrastructure approved)

All approvals for the expansion to 290 Mt/a capacity are in place, and all key rail and port approvals for the 360 Mt/a stage are completed.

This project is part of the Robe River Iron Associates joint venture consisting of Rio Tinto (53 per cent), Mitsui (33 per cent), and Nippon Steel Sumitomo Metal Industries (14 per cent). Robe River Iron Associates is the world’s fourth largest seaborne supplier of iron ore and operates three open pit mining operations in Western Australia: Mesa J and Mesa A in the Robe Valley, near Pannawonica and West Angelas, approximately 100km west of Newman.

Along with previous funding, Georgia has allocated $231.1 million toward the state’s portion of the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP).

Deepening the Savannah Harbor from 42 to 47 feet will accommodate an increase in the number of super-sized container vessels transiting the Panama Canal after its 2015 expansion. With a deeper channel, larger and more heavily laden ships can arrive and depart with greater scheduling flexibility. These “Post Panamax” vessels will mean lower shipping costs per container slot.

 “This infrastructure investment is crucial not just for the port, but for the economy of Georgia and the entire Southeast,” said Deal. “A deeper Savannah Harbor means greater efficiency for 21,000 U.S. companies, 75 percent of which are headquartered outside of Georgia.  A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study has shown that SHEP will reduce shipping costs for private companies by at least $213 million a year.  Neither Georgia nor this nation can afford to delay a project that provides customers with a tool that reduces their costs.”

The new funding was part of Gov. Deal’s FY2014 budget request, and included in the final version of the state spending plan passed by the General Assembly Thursday.

“The strong actions by the General Assembly and the governor indicate the level of commitment across the state to see the harbor deepening completed,” said GPA Board Chairman Robert Jepson. “We appreciate the broad support among state leaders for our deepwater ports, which serve as economic engines supporting 352,000 jobs across Georgia.”

Overall, the cost of the project is anticipated to be $652 million. The Record of Decision, signifying final federal approval for the project, was issued in October 2012, clearing an important hurdle toward federal construction dollars.

“The Record of Decision means the project has been determined safe for the environment by our federal agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency, the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service,” said GPA Executive Director Curtis Foltz. “Additional studies by the Army Corps of Engineers show a 5.5-to-1 benefit to cost ratio, meaning that for every dollar spent on the deepening, the nation will reap $5.50 in benefits.”

The planned new depth of 47 feet strengthens the Port of Savannah’s position as a major global trade destination, allowing it to more efficiently accommodate Post-Panamax containerships. Additionally, general navigation will be improved, with wider channel turns and a larger turning basin. The Savannah River, which features a seven-foot tidal change twice a day, will continue to host two-way containership traffic.