Abstract
A container terminal is a high energy demanding organization. Giving priority to the investments that have a better impact on the minimization of energy consumption is a prime concern of the management board of the Port Authority and container terminals. This study presents a tool for the classification of the processes that take place in the port. The Relevant Use of Energy (RUE) index is described and applied to a case study, the Port Authority of Valencia, which is the main port of the Mediterranean in container traffic. Three different functional units have been discussed for the assessment: Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEU), cargo handled, and several container ships that operate in the port. The implementation of specific projects following the recommendation of the RUE Index validated the tool and allowed a reduction of the energy intensity of 29.5%, and a 40% reduction of the cost of energy per TEU between 2008 and 2016. However, there is still room for improvement, and project lines are proposed for this matter. A partnership between the RUE Index and an energy management system ISO 50001 certified and ensures quality data giving confidence to the decision-making process of the management board.
Highlights
Achieving a carbon-neutral economy is a priority [1]
Following the PDCA cycle described in the previous section, once planned, the index has been defined (Section 3.1) and applied to the case study (Section 3.2)
The concept of Relevant Use of Energy (RUE) is proposed, defined as substantial energy consumption that classifies the potential for improving energy performance according to ISO 50001
Summary
Achieving a carbon-neutral economy is a priority [1]. The adequate management of the sources of energy is a key aspect of this mission. As nodes of the global economy, are expected to reduce emissions and energy consumption along the whole maritime supply chain [2]. Port authorities are looking to protect local communities from any negative effect caused by their operations [3]. The minimization of energy consumption, together with air quality control is the main concern of European ports [4]. When assessing the energy consumption of an organization in absolute values, the evolution is irregular and unpredictable as external factors are involved. The global economy influences the market and determines the business volume of a subsequent period even five years later
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
