Our basic principle is strict compliance with environmental legislation. We are fully transparent and accountable when it comes to issues relating to the environment. Our environmental management system requires that all companies within the Group evaluate and manage their environmental impacts, enforce local environmental laws and regulations, and make continuous improvements.
All of the Group’s terminals carry comprehensive sustainability plans, and these are embedded in all the Group’s investment programmes. In 2022, the Company adopted and implemented a Supplier Code of Conduct Environment to ensure security throughout the supply chain. When selecting suppliers, the Company gives preference to those that strive to comply with the principles of sustainable development, taking into account the results of assessments on relevant indicators throughout the supply chain.
Climate change is one of the most significant challenges facing mankind. Global Ports is working hard to reduce emissions, improving energy efficiency and reducing the impact on the climate.
Compared to other modes of transport, maritime transport is one of the most energy-efficient ways of transporting goods, carrying 90% of the world’s goods. As leaders in regional logistics infrastructure, our ports can play an important part in the drive to decarbonise and be part of the solution to addressing climate change. Because our container terminals are strategically located at key points where cargo flows in and out of Russia, they act as transport hubs linking the two most environmentally friendly modes of transport, sea and rail. This enables us to build environmentally friendly economic value chains.
At the same time, port infrastructure faces increased risks from climate-related threats, such as rising sea levels or severe weather events, which will require port operators to strengthen our adaptation to climate change by upgrading our infrastructure and operations. Our approach to the problem of climate change, therefore, focuses on both adaptation and mitigation measures through cutting our greenhouse gas emissions, improving infrastructure resilience, and introducing innovations.
While the Group complies with all mandatory rules and regulations regarding greenhouse gas emissions, we understand that we need to increase our decarbonisation efforts. In order to improve energy conservation and efficiency, the Group is consistently implementing a number of measures, among them:
Initiatives to reduce the impact on the climate include the installation of charging stations with electricity generated by clean technologies and the widespread use of port equipment on the electric drive. We stopped generating electricity using natural gas at one of our terminals.
In the meantime, we continue to collaborate closely with other parties involved in the logistics value chain to find solutions that will make logistics more eco-efficient. We are working with our shipping clients, suppliers, and freight rail and trucking companies to make changes in this area.
We are committed to preserving the environment where we operate. A key strategic focus is to minimise the impact of our ports’ operations on local ecosystems. The land, waterways, and estuaries we manage and operate in are valuable natural assets, and we continually assess and adjust our activities to ensure that we act in an environmentally responsible way. At the heart of our approach is effective environmental management that aims to preserve, restore, and protect the natural habitats around our terminals, both offshore and onshore. The Company’s approach and principles are described in Global Ports Environmental Policy. The objectives of the Policy are to assess, manage, and reduce the negative impacts of the Company’s operations on the natural environment.
To achieve this goal, the Global Ports Group undertakes the following obligations:
Environmental safety specialists, the heads of Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) departments, managing directors of terminals, and the CEO are responsible for developing and implementing environmental protection measures at the Company.
In 2022, the Company implemented a number of measures to assess and reduce the environmental impact of its operations. These include:
For ambient air protection:
For wastewater collection and treatment:
For waste management issues:
For the protection and rehabilitation of land, surface water, and groundwater:
For environmental protection from noise:
Expenses on environmental protection in 2022 amounted to RUB 29,994 million.
Due to the Company’s efficient organisation of operations and focus on environmental protection, it did not record any leaks or accidental discharges of waste or pollution into the environment in 2022. In addition, no fines for violations of environmental legislation were imposed on the Company in 2022.
Sustainability is an important part of our port infrastructure capacity planning, as we prepare for future expansion. We continue to work closely with local and regional governments to ensure that any potential environmental impacts resulting from land reclamation, reconstruction, or development are properly quantified and addressed.
To reduce its environmental impact, the Company will continue work to reduce emissions of pollutants into the air by replacing obsolete handling equipment with modern equipment that meets environmental standards.
Global Ports is committed to actively managing its water resources, including being more efficient in how we use water. The Group does not withdraw water from surface water bodies. The main source of water is municipal and other water supply systems. The water we use is treated and discharged into surface water bodies. The terminals are actively working to improve the efficiency of wastewater treatment to ensure that clean water is discharged at all times.
We are also working to conserve water usage across the Group through the monitoring of water usage and installing more water-efficient equipment. All water consumers have been equipped with water flow meters, which ensures 100% leakage control and the monitoring of consumption at all times. Monitoring of water use is carried out monthly by taking readings from flow meters, which are equipped with discharge outlets to water bodies and metering units of tap water from suppliers. The data is submitted as part of reports to the Federal Agency for Water Resources.
We use recycled water to wash motor cars at one of our terminals.
Waste is a major global issue and we have a responsibility to minimise the impact of our operations. Solving the waste problem is an important component of the Group’s environmental activities.
The challenge for Global Ports is to minimise the amount of waste sent to landfills. Priority is given to the recycling, treatment, and neutralisation of waste. Waste management is a constituent part of several of the Group’s programmes.
Global Ports adheres to a culture of separate waste collection, which results in waste being divided into hazard classes and fractions. Each hazard class of waste has a defined place of accumulation in accordance with the requirements. At the same time, 97% of waste is low-hazard and virtually non-hazardous Class 4 and 5 waste. Hazard Class 3 waste is sent for neutralisation, while Hazard Class 4 and 5 waste is sold to third parties.
Biodiversity conservation is critical to the life of the planet. Global Ports is committed to minimizing the damage to biological resources caused by its operations.
The Group pays special attention to maintaining biodiversity in the water protection areas where it operates: the Yekateringofka River protected area, the marine area of the Gulf of Finland, and the Wrangel Bay located on the eastern coast of the Nakhodka Gulf between the Kamensky and Petrovsky capes.
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