KLASCO planning to build a protective wind fence against particulates dispersal

In line with its plan of environmental measures, Klaipėda Stevedoring Company (KLASCO), AB is designing a protective fence as a screen against wind and suspended particulates. DustTamer, a protective wind fence patented by a Canadian manufacturer, has been in extensive use at US, Canadian, European, Australian, and South American seaports. Up to 8 metres tall, the fence is due to be installed at quays 10–11 and 7–8–9 on KLASCO’s territory. Deploying this new technology will possibly cost the company up to half a million euros. The company has already invested over a million euros in environmental protection and equipment to expedite its stevedoring operations, and has plans to invest 3 million euros more.

‘Even though we have already deployed a number of environmental measures, we look at additional organisational and technological solutions to reduce potential fugitive airborne dust emissions to the maximum extent possible. DustTamer’s excellent performance is backed by the experience of overseas ports and research, and we therefore hope to be able to prevent any dispersal of suspended particulates that way,’ says KLASCO’s CEO Vytautas Štumbergas.

DustTamer Wind Fence and Wind Screen Systems are installed in the US, Canada, Australia, South America, and Europe at companies like KLASCO that are located closer to residential homes. They offer a reliable and strong reduction of wind speed and dispersal of suspended particulates. Any wind-speed reduction cuts the volume of suspended particulates that are produced in the process of stevedoring operations. Even with more than 30 years after its first installation in Europe, and more than 25 years in the United States, the system’s fabric and installation hardware have proven themselves durable under the most severe weather conditions, weathering hurricanes and blizzards, as well as record heat and cold.

‘KLASCO has prepared a plan for transferring part of the company’s stevedoring operations to quays 10–11 further away from residential homes. At this time, all we need is the consent from the Department of Environmental Protection to proceed with the move. This will further reduce the possibility of particulates escaping the territory of the company, even though the air quality monitoring (AQM) stations near KLASCO do not show any excessive measurements,’ says Mr Štumbergas.

In a bid to reduce the environmental impact of its operations and to protect the environment, KLASCO has drawn an extensive plan of environmental measures. The company will place an even greater emphasis on the measures already in place: in the process of loading and unloading vessels, the staff continuously watch the suspended particulates data from the KSSPA’s monitoring station and, based on said data, adjust or even suspend the stevedoring operations as necessary. Further actions include the ongoing monitoring of surface runoff, the cleaning of wastewater wells and treatment facilities, among other things. For loading and unloading cargo that creates large quantities of dust, the dispersal of the dust is localised with 6 water mist cannons, the cargo is humidified at loading and storage locations, and access roads and technological areas and storage sites are watered and cleaned during the dry season. The cargo loaders are equipped with humidification systems installed above the loader belts and at cargo crossing points. On top of that, additional measures to organise the stevedoring operations will be introduced, the personnel will be trained to work with specialist cargo and pollution control hardware and equipment, and so on. The plans for the nearest future include repairs of the surface runoff treatment facilities at quays, installation of a wash for outgoing transport, and deployment of a series of other measures. As part of its environmental plan, KLASCO will also conduct a complete environmental impact evaluation for its current and pending operation, which will include a public health assessment.