Environmental leadership recognized at the Port of Vancouver

Twenty-nine terminals, tenants, marine operators and cruise and shipping lines were celebrated through the Port of Vancouver’s Blue Circle Awards for advancing sustainability and environmental protections, while supporting Canada’s growing trade needs.

This year terminals and tenants were once again recognized for their energy conservation and carbon reduction work, with the return of the awards’ Energy Action category. Winners from Vancouver, North Vancouver, Richmond and Delta all demonstrated leadership around sustainability, including initiatives such as converting fleets to electric vehicles, replacing lights with lower-energy LEDs and reducing the energy intensity of their operations.

Twelve shipping lines, six coastal marine operators and five cruise lines were also recognized at this year’s awards for their leadership around sustainability, and reducing emissions and underwater noise—such as connecting to shore power and using alternative fuels and technologies such as wind propulsion and batteries.

“We are honoured to acknowledge the leadership shown by so many in our port community towards supporting trade in a way that protects the environment,” said Peter Xotta, president and CEO at the port authority, the federal agency mandated to enable Canada’s trade through the Port of Vancouver while protecting the environment and considering local communities. “Terminals and tenants, marine operators, and shipping and cruise lines are the engines that move Canada’s trade through the Port of Vancouver every day—supporting jobs and economic prosperity from coast to coast—and we are proud to celebrate the efforts they are making to ensure this vital work is done in a sustainable way.”

The Blue Circle Awards were launched in 2009 and recognize Port of Vancouver operators and customers with the highest participation in the port authority’s EcoAction and Energy Action programs.

Blue Circle Award recipients in the shipping line category for the EcoAction program included: