Port Everglades Joins Green Marine Program to Expand Environmental Performance
Broward County, FL – Broward County’s Port Everglades, Florida’s leading container port, is expanding its environmental efforts by signing on as a participant with Green Marine, the largest voluntary environmental program for the maritime industry in North America.
Green Marine’s environmental program makes it possible for ports, terminal operators or shipping companies to voluntarily reduce their environmental footprint through a comprehensive program that addresses key environmental issues and criteria using 11 performance indicators including air emissions, community impacts, environmental leadership and much more.
Participants are required to demonstrate year-over-year improvement in measurable ways to maintain their Green Marine certification. The program is completely transparent with all results independently verified and made public.
“We have two major environmental projects underway at Port Everglades, so the timing is perfect for us to partner with Green Marine,” said Steven Cernak, Port Everglades Chief Executive and Port Director. “They have a proven track record in assisting program participants to significantly increase their environmental performance.”
“We are very pleased to welcome Port Everglades among our participants,” said David Bolduc, Green Marine Executive Director. “They are the first Florida port to join our certification program, and they are genuinely committed to sustainable development. We look forward to working with them on advancing best practices and environmental performance.”
The Port’s two projects include creating more than 16 acres of mangroves and updating Cruise Terminal 4. Currently underway is the Upland Mangrove Enhancement, which involves replacing an existing 8.7-acre mangrove conservation easement with a 16.5-acre upland conversion through planting approximately 70,000 new mangroves and wetland plants. The Upland Mangrove Enhancement is a project that is critical to the Southport Turning Notch Extension.
Port Everglades also recently opened the doors of its completely renovated Cruise Terminal 4, which was designed with the environment in mind and features high-efficiency and innovative lighting and air conditioning. One of the more unique environmental features are several wind and solar powered lights installed in the Terminal 4 parking lot. The terminal’s many energy-efficient improvements will qualify the facility to become certified through Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) – a first for Port Everglades. LEED, a U.S. Green Building Council program, is a green building certification program that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices.
Green Marine’s environmental program has rapidly gained a reputation for challenging participants to go beyond regulatory compliance. There are currently more than 85 port authorities, terminal operators, ship owners and shipyards from coast to coast, in Canada and the United States, participating in the program.
About Port Everglades
As one of South Florida’s leading economic powerhouses, Port Everglades is the gateway for international trade and cruise vacations. Already among the three busiest cruise ports in the world, Port Everglades is also one of the nation’s leading container ports and South Florida’s main seaport for receiving petroleum products including gasoline, jet fuel and alternative fuels. The Port Everglades Department is a self-supporting Enterprise Fund of Broward County government with operating revenues of approximately $153 million in Fiscal Year 2014 (October 1, 2013 through September 30, 2014). It does not rely on local tax dollars for operations. The total value of economic activity at Port Everglades is approximately $26 billion. More than 202,000 Florida jobs are impacted by the Port, including 11,433 people who work for companies that provide direct services to Port Everglades. For more information on Port Everglades, visit porteverglades.net or email PortEverglades@broward.org.