Prince Rupert Port Authority looks to conduct carbon footprint assessment

Fairview Terminal is the most visible of the terminal operations
found within the Prince Rupert Port Authority footprint
(Photo from PRPA archive)

With an eye towards its growing future, the Prince Rupert Port Authority has put forward a request for proposals for a Carbon Footprint Assessment for its Prince Rupert Gateway Operations, the RFP recently posted to the BC Bid website.

Their goal for the study to develop a plan towards reducing the carbon footprint off their operations over the next thirty years.

"The Port aims to reduce the level of carbon intensity across the Port of Prince Rupert by 30% (2018 levels) by 2030 and achieve zero net carbon by 2050." -- a portion of the introduction to the PRPA request for proposals towards a carbon footprint assessment

PRPA introduction to their RFP for a Carbon footprint assessment
(click to enlarge)

Towards the study, the Port has outlined some of its history and the focus on the future that they wish for their study to take note of, their documentation providing a bit of a review of their overall operations.

PRPA had conducted a carbon emissions assessment for containerized import cargo movements from Asia to North America through several key North American gateway ports in 2010. The assessment included Prince Rupert’s first port level emissions inventory. These ports play an important role in the efficient movement of containerized goods by serving as a conduit for the modal transfer of containers from the marine to the rail and truck modes. Given the relatively high efficiency of rail, much of the containerized goods ultimately move across the continent by train rather than truck. 

The Port of Prince Rupert was found to consistently achieve the lowest carbon footprint (or best carbon performance) of the five port gateways assessed (Prince Rupert, Vancouver, Seattle, and Long Beach in the Pacific and Savannah on the Atlantic). Although a clear determinant for the relatively low carbon intensity was found to be the shorter marine transit distance, a high utilization factor for the rail mode was also a significant factor. 

Prince Rupert uses the highest percentage of high-density rail cars, traverses the lowest fraction of kilometres at significant grade, and operates some of the longest train configurations for the gateway ports. Prince Rupert also had the advantage on emissions within the port complex. 

Since 2010, the 5 gateways ports have seen rapid transformation, not just on the containerized side but non- containerized as well, in terms of terminal expansions and addition of new cargo types to their portfolio. For the port of Prince Rupert, the overall growth has been exemplary, including export of dry bulk such as wood pellets, grains and metallurgical coal, and liquid bulk such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). 

As a result, to effectively capture the carbon footprint of the Port and compare it with the other pacific gateway ports, the port would like to refresh the carbon footprint assessment study for containerized import cargo movements from Asia to North America through several key North American gateway ports. In addition to this, the port would also like the extend the assessment of carbon footprint containerized export cargo moving through the ports of Prince Rupert and Vancouver. 

A select group of bulk exports, wood pellets, grains, metallurgical coal, and LPG, will also be assessed against other port gateways. This assessment will not include conducting the port level emission inventory, conducted annually through a separate study, but will draw upon the results of that data set.

The Ridley Island and adjacent lands makes for the future 
evolution for port operations
(Photo from PRPA archive)

When it comes to their goals and outcomes, the Prince Rupert Port Authority is looking be able to influence shipper routing sections and market share, improve government relations, regulatory policies and public investment decisions.

The timeline from procurement to final document would see the majority of the study take place over the summer, with a completion deadline set for September 17th.

The full scope of the work ahead can be reviewed from the BC Bid website.

For more notes related to the Prince Rupert Port Authority see our archive page here.