Project Environmental Management of Transborder Corridor Ports (ECOPORT 8)

 

The project is financed under Priority Axes 2 of Operational Programme Southeast Europe 2007 - 2013.

  

   

Indicative budget of BPI Co. on the Project: 324 200 EUR

Financing from the European Regional Development Fund: 281 913, 05 EUR

National co-financing: 42 286, 95 EUR

Co-beneficiary on the Project: Bulgarian Ports Infrastructure Company (BPI Co.)

 

The successfully completed project ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT OF TRANSBORDER CORRIDOR PORTS (ECOPORT 8) is part of Priority Axes 2 of Operational Programme on Southeast Europe 2007-2013. it is approved of financing among 1099 proposed projects.

The aim of the project ECOPORT 8 is to improve the quality of ports, putting as a top priority the prevention of pollution of water, air and infrastructure in port areas and the adjoining coastal zone through close cooperation between the scientific institutions and the local port authorities. Another main goal is the preservation of natural resources in port areas and adjacent coastal areas.

The final result of the project is to achieve a safe, secure, environmentally friendly and efficient maritime transport, building modern ports that provide a suitable environment for the overall economic development and integration internationally – in the interests of ecology, economy, population and municipalities. 

ECOPORT 8 include the ports of Corridor 8, to be defined common standards. Partners on the Project are the port authorities and research institutions from six countries: Italy, Greece, Romania, Montenegro, Albania and Bulgaria. On the Bulgarian side Bulgarian Ports Infrastructure Company (BPI Co.) is a co-beneficiary on the project. Another Bulgarian partner is the Institute on Waters to BAS, which as of 01.07.2010 is reorganized to a Department “Management and Use of Waters” to the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology. The other project partners are:

  • POLIBA - Bari Polytechnic 
  • IWP-BAS - Institute of Water Problems - Bulgarian Academy of Sciences 
  • BPICo - Bulgarian Ports Infrastructure Company
  • PSP - Patras Science Park A.
  • UNIVERSUS CSEI - Training and Innovation University Consortium
  • BARIPA - Bari Port Authority
  • GEOECOMAR - National Institute of Marine Geology and Geoecology 
  • UPT - Polytechnic University of Tirana
  • DURRESPA - Durres Port Authority
  • BIOKOTOR - Institute of Marine Biology
  • BARHCPA - Port of Bar Holding Company 


Within the framework of the Project on 15 March 2012 was put into operation an automatic measurement stations for environmental monitoring of air and water in port of Burgas. In three water monitoring points were installed probes for sampling the seawater. Measuring stations were installed equipped with own power supply, which electronically sent data for the control samples to the database of the system. The information is available through the website. Before being published, the initial data have to be validated by a specialist before the publication in the site of the Project.

The condition of measurement parameters of air and water in the Burgas Bay are within the admissible values, showed the first control measurements, made of 15 March 2012. The few reported deviations are not due to the operational activities of the port.

As a result of the successful completion of the Project, the condition of the water in the port water area of the port of Burgas is continuously monitored by a multi-paramater probe with sensors for pH, temperature, turbidity, chlorophyll, blue-green algae, oil and others. Another 3D probe registers the speed and direction of the flow.

The measurement monitoring points cover the zones of intense vessel traffic and cargo handling operations in order to take account of the impact of the port activities on the state of the marine environment. Through a multi-monitor recording of temperature, humidity and pressure, and the speed and direction of wind, the monitoring system monitors also the air quality. The installation and commissioning of the automated system for environmental monitoring of air and water in the port of Burgas was among the main tasks of the project ECOPORT 8. 

On June 8, 2012 in Burgas was held the final international conference on the project “Environmental Management of Transborder Corridor Ports (ECOPORT 8), organized by Bulgarian Ports Infrastructure Company (BPI Co.) as a co-beneficiary of the project. Besides the six partner countries, the event was attended by a Bulgarian politicians and European experts who gave an excellent assessment of the project implementation, describing it as highly successful working towards the creation of “green ports”. Among the official guests of the evnt was the Chairman of the Board of BPI Co. Mr. Stefan Neychev. The Director General of the company Mr. Miroslav Petrov made a welcoming speech to all participants and guests of the Conference. He described the results of the project as more than satisfactory and said that this is the first step in the right direction.