Taiwan Today

Taiwan International Ports Corp. announced Nov. 16 that the Ports of Hualien and Taipei have passed on-site audits for EcoPort certification, paving the way for the two areas to join the list of Taiwan’s environmentally friendly shipping facilities. The inspections were carried out by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance, an overseas certification organization, in cooperation with the European Sea Ports Organisation, which confers the EcoPort title on international ports and harbors that meet stringent sustainability standards. The Hualien and Taipei seaports each have unique strengths that helped them gain accreditation, a TIPC official said. The eastern port received praise from auditors for the fact that 79 percent of the fresh water used at the facility is recycled. Also, there has been a 98 percent reduction in tap water usage since authorities began implementing water-saving measures. To reduce the Port of Taipei’s environmental impact, a focus was placed on improving air quality and sewage facilities. Air quality in the area is monitored by a 24-hour surveillance system, and the seaport is the first in the nation to possess a state-of-the-art sewage system, which processes an average of 10,000 tons of wastewater every month. In 2014, the Port of Kaohsiung in southern Taiwan became the first facility in the country to achieve EcoPort certification, with the Ports of Keelung and Taichung, located in northern and central Taiwan respectively, added to the ranks in 2015. The seaports of Taipei and eastern Taiwan’s Hualien County are set to receive their official accreditations by the end of the year. According to the TIPC official, the EcoPort designations demonstrate Taiwan’s commitment to protecting the environment and promoting green industries. The company is currently working to secure the certification for the nation’s two remaining international marine shipping facilities, namely Anping Port in southern Taiwan and Suao Port in northeastern Taiwan. In 2012, the nation’s four Harbor Bureaus were dissolved and reorganized as TIPC, which is wholly owned by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications. The company is responsible for running all the main international seaports in Taiwan. ESPO was founded in 1993 and endeavors to promote eco-friendly ports that meet with EU standards. (SCK-E) Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw