Participatory process in environmental monitoring design: examples from the Port of Limassol

Abstract

Sea transport and seaborne trade have increased significantly in the past few decades. As sea traffic hubs, ports have high risks because of the limitation in manoeuvrability, number of vessels, and land-based port activities. In the coastal city of Limassol, water and air pollution has been anecdotally attributed to port activities. The STEAM project (Sea Traffic Management in the Eastern Mediterranean, INTEGRATED/0916/0063, [1]) aims to set up a monitoring plan to aid in the identification and mitigation of pollution sources. The project followed a participatory process, where port stakeholders and scientists were consulted and included in the ideation, design and implementation process. This participatory process developed a greater sense of stakeholder ownership in the environmental monitoring programs and facilitated their adoption. According to the consultation process, air and water quality are the most important factors to monitor. Five static and one mobile multi-sensor monitoring stations make up the air quality monitoring design for the Port of Limassol. Three air quality stations were installed within the port area along with two stations near the anchorage area. Two environmental data buoys and two oil detectors make up the water quality monitoring stations. The oil detectors will be placed within the port. One environmental data buoy will be placed downstream of the port, while the second buoy will be placed between the port entrance, the Limassol Marina and the anchorage area.