There’smorework tobedone, but the results
are in, and the numbers look good.
The Maryland Port Administration (MPA)
and its tenants were interested in seeing if the
air emission reduction improvements on cargo-
handlingequipment (CHE) implementedover the
past several years were successful. Comparing
the2006CHE inventory to themost recent inven-
tory (2012) has confirmed that positive strides
have beenmade.
Barbara McMahon, MPA Manager, Safety,
Environment & RiskManagement, was pleased
with the results, but stressed that the work to
improveair qualitywill continue. Sheemphasized
that theCHE’s emission inventory helps identify
thepiecesof equipment that canbe targeted for
retrofits, repowers or replacement.
TheCHEemissions inventory reportwasgen-
erated for carbonmonoxide (CO), carbondioxide
(CO
2
,) nitrous oxide (N
2
O), sulfur dioxide (SO
2
),
particulatematter between 2.5 and 10microm-
eters in size (PM10) and fine particulatematter
up to2.5micrometers in size (PM2.5).
The report found significant decreases in
total tonsof emissions (greater than32percent)
and in the rate of emissions in tons per hour
(greater than 26 percent) for each pollutant.
Thedecreases reflect the impact of air emission
reductionprograms initiatedby theMPAand its
four tenants.
The average decrease in total emissions
across all pollutantswas 56percent.
The most significant reduction was for SO
2
,
which is directly related to switching from low-
sulfur diesel (LSD) to ultra-low sulfur diesel
(ULSD). The next largest reductions were in
volatileorganiccompounds (VOCs) andPM (both
PM10andPM2.5), at 54percent and53percent,
respectively. Reductions in PM are also a result
of the switch from LSD toULSD. However, many
cargo-handlingequipment unitswere retrofitted
with diesel oxidation catalysts (DOCs), which
further reduced overall PM emissions.
Asignificant factor contributing to theoverall
decrease in total emissions is themodernization
of the2012fleet,whichhadan
average model year of 2002
versusanaveragemodel year
of 1997 for the 2006 fleet.
TheMPA and its tenants
are actively pursuing
opportunities to test and
install new technologies
and continue upgrading its
CHE, with an end result of
improving air quality for the
Baltimore region.
Clearing theAir
SignificantEmissionReductionSeen forCargo-HandlingEquipment
[
22
]
ThePort of Baltimore
■
March/April 2014
PORT
ENVIRONMENTAL SUMMARY
