02.07.2007

Nicola turns port waters green

The Port of London Authority's (PLA) Nicola Jenkins has scooped an international award for showing European ports how to "up" their environmental game.

Environmental and quality systems manager Nicola was recognised by the international EcoPorts Foundation after helping them produce easy-to-follow 'green' guidance for harbours.

The Foundation, created in 1999 to help ports and the port industry share their environmental experience, praised Nicola for her "outstanding contribution" to the development of EcoPorts.

And she became the first person to receive the EcoPorts Professional Award.

Nicola said: "The ports industry is taking good environmental practice increasingly seriously. Ports can apply to be assessed for full ISO 14001 accreditation - an international environmental management standard - that means they must meet and maintain extremely high levels of environmental performance.

"The guidance is designed to help ports - which may not be ready, or have the resources, for this level of assessment - to improve the environmental quality of their day-to-day operations as quickly and easily as possible."

Nicola's award comes as the PLA marks 10 years of meeting the strict ISO 9001 standards for management quality.

The PLA's director of technical and engineering services, Jeremy Smith, said: "The PLA is undoubtedly one of the standard-setting ports in the environmental and quality arenas. We not only work hard to improve our own performance, but we are looking constantly for ways to share our experience with others.

"The ports and shipping industry is the powerhouse of world trade, and, through the dedication of people like Nicola, I'm sure we'll achieve an environmental and quality reputation to match."

Contact: Martin Garside, Port of London Authority, Tel: 01474 562366 or Email.

Notes to Editors:

• The Port of London Authority (PLA) is responsible for navigational safety and related matters on 150km (95 miles) of the tidal Thames from the sea to Teddington
• The PLA provides navigational, pilotage and other services for users of the Thames
• London is one of the top three ports in the UK and handles over 50 million tonnes of cargo each year. The Port comprises over 70 independently owned and operated terminals and port facilities at different locations on the Thames. These handle a wide range of cargoes
• London also has a busy passenger boat trade for tourists and commuters and is a popular destination for international passenger cruise ships. The tidal Thames is also used widely by those with small recreational craft of many types.