From November 6 to 18, 2022, the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt hosted the 27th session of the Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP 27), with a view to building on previous successes and paving the way for future ambition to effectively tackle the global challenge of climate change. Yantian Port, as a proud advocate of green and low-carbon port development over the years, made it presence known in the "China Corner" of the Conference, showing its green efforts and achievements to the whole world.

YANTIAN has been actively responding to environmental protection decisions and policies launched by the Chinese government, practicing green philosophy in all aspects of our business.

1.    A Lighter Carbon Footprint

People often ask, "With such a big port, why is the sky above still so blue and clean?" Every YANTIAN employee knows the answer. Since the inception of YANTIAN, we recognise our social responsibility and the importance of safeguarding the environment. We are therefore committed to implementing a long-term, sustainable strategy to ensure environmental protection in port development and all our commercial activities.

Over the past decade, despite dramatic growth in throughput, we have seen a significant reduction in carbon emissions per TEU, thanks to three initiatives: shore to ship power system, electric gantry cranes, and LNG-powered tractors.

YANTIAN has been awarded the "Best Green Container Terminal" Award three times in four years

2.    Actions to Protect the Environment

Yantian Port lives up to expectations of the society for energy saving and environmental protection. In addition to the above-mentioned initiatives, YANTIAN has also been committed to protecting marine and biodiversity and promoting low-energy lighting, which has brought us a number of awards, such as being the first port in the Chinese mainland to be awarded the title of "International Sanitary Port" by the WHO in 2008, and being awarded as a water-saving enterprise by Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of Guangdong Province in 2016.

	We use wastewater treatment facilities to treat the wastewater generated from port operations and office areas, and assist government agencies in monitoring ballast water discharge from vessels. With advanced technology and strict management measures, we try our best to protect the marine and biodiversity for the sustainable development of the port.
	We use LED lighting featuring durability and low energy consumption. For container yard illumination, we adjust container yard lighting after noting the comparatively low truck traffic at night. This has helped to save electricity by 20%, which amounts to 840,000 kWh per year.

In addition to protecting the environment in our production process, we are always identifying new ways to build a greener, healthier work environment and reduce our carbon footprint. We have established an environmental protection committee to encourage our employees to save energy in the office and participate in various activities such as tree planting, beach cleaning, and environmental protection suggestion collection to promote the green and sustainable development, creating bluer sky and cleaner water together.

3.    A Greener Future

A world-class terminal shall be equipped with world-class intelligent and green technologies. The exterior of new office towers is outfitted with eco-friendly low-emission (Low-E) glass, which can reduce cold energy loss by 50% compared to ordinary glass curtain walls and maintains temperature of the buildings. The East Port under construction uses new energy sources, with photovoltaics installed on top of the sheds of the gatehouses and maintenance workshops, and a sponge city design that not only prevents flooding but also collects and reuses rainwater. In terms of the terminal design, the maximum wind speed for the quay cranes to withstand is 70.7m/s (over level-17 wind), and drainage facilities are designed to withstand rain storms rarely seen in 50 years. The East Port will also make efforts in intelligent development for a smart and green future.

Looking ahead, YANTIAN will expedite its pace to transform and upgrade port equipment towards electrification, improve energy efficiency, and explore the application of renewable energy in localised scenarios to create a sustainable port ecosystem.