Workshop validates the Sustainable Smart Port Assessment Report of Port Louis
A one-day workshop to validate the Sustainable Smart Port Assessment Report of Port Louis was held, today, at the Hilton Mauritius Resort and Spa in Flic en Flac with the participation of stakeholders from the Mauritius Ports Authority (MPA), the Ministry of Finance, the Cargo Handling Corporation Ltd, the Central Electricity Board, the Mauritius Renewable Energy Agency (MARENA), together with representatives of shipping lines and terminal operators.
The Acting Director General of the MPA, Mrs Aruna Bunwaree Ramsaha; the United Nations Resident Coordinator for Mauritius and Seychelles, Ms Lisa Simrique Singh; the Chief of Transport Section at the United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Mrs Frida Youssef; and other personalities were present at the opening ceremony.
The workshop is part of the project ‘Sustainable Smart Ports for African Countries’, whose objective is to strengthen the capacities of selected countries in Africa, namely Mauritius, Ghana, and Morocco, in building Sustainable Smart Ports that promote sustainable energy and technology-driven solutions. The project is driven by the UNCTAD.
The MPA is participating in this project in which Port Louis has been assessed to identify challenges and opportunities to enhance the use, production, and distribution of renewable energy and energy efficiency at the port level (facilities and operations).
In her opening address for the occasion, Mrs Aruna Bunwaree Ramsaha stressed that the workshop is a significant step in the endeavour to make of Port Louis a smart and sustainable port. She underlined the main purposes of the workshop which are mainly to present and validate the findings of the Sustainable Smart Port Assessment Report for Port Louis, engage stakeholders in discussions to refine strategic recommendations, and develop a clear roadmap for advancing the port’s energy transition and sustainable development.
According to her, the sustainable and smart transformation envisioned for Port Louis is not an aspiration but rather a necessity for Mauritius so as to maintain its competitive edge in the global maritime landscape as well as to contribute meaningfully to the sustainable development goals. To that end, she pointed out that leveraging innovation for energy efficiency, adopting greener technologies, enhancing digital connectivity and fostering a resilient and green port system are required.
The Acting Director General also dwelt on green port measures already being implemented by the MPA. These include the installation of solar panels and the setting up of a Solar Photo Voltaic plant of 10 kWp capacity at the Oil Jetty to power the electrical system with the aim of producing 10% of the port’s annual energy consumption along with equipment electrification in collaboration with the Cargo Handling Corporation to reduce the consumption of diesel.
The workshop will be followed by a three-day capacity building initiative on electrification of port equipment.
Source : GIS Mauritius
