Yeosu Gwangyang Port Authority Establishes Measures to Prevent Port Safety Accidents and Environmental Pollution

Prevention of Port Safety Accidents and Creation of a Pleasant Environment

Complete Suspension of Nitrogen Work at 2nd Jungheung Pier Implemented

[Gwangyang=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Heo Seonsik] Yeosu Gwangyang Port Authority (President Park Seonghyun) announced on the 1st that it will cease nitrogen operations (purging, charging, sealing) within the 2nd Junghung Pier.

Nitrogen operations are conducted to handle residuals inside the tanks of liquid cargo carriers and gas carriers and to prevent cargo deterioration, and are divided into purging (discharge), charging (injection), and sealing (filling).

The authority had previously approved nitrogen operations for liquid cargo ships and gas carriers at the 2nd Junghung Pier to improve port operation efficiency.

However, due to the nitrogen purging (discharge) operations, continuous odor-related complaints were raised by local businesses and organizations around the pier, and during an on-site inspection by authority officials in November last year, hydrogen cyanide, a carcinogen, was detected.

Accordingly, the authority implemented a 'work approval system' for nitrogen operations and took measures such as a complete ban on nitrogen operations for gas carriers in February.

Beyond odor issues, with the construction of a new petrochemical plant near the 2nd Junghung Pier, there is a risk of safety accidents such as explosions caused by nitrogen operations at the pier, similar to the Ulsan Port Yeompo Pier explosion accident (September 2019). As a preemptive measure to prevent massive accident damages, a full ban on nitrogen operations was considered.

This action by the authority was carried out in accordance with Article 28 of the Port Act, Article 22 of the Marine Environment Act, and Article 186 of the Standards for Facilities of Ships Transporting Bulk Liquid Hazardous Materials, and was promoted through consultations with ship agencies and gas-related companies in the Yeosu area of Gwangyang Port.

An official from the authority stated, “By stopping nitrogen operations at the 2nd Junghung Pier, we have implemented preemptive measures to prevent possible safety accidents and environmental pollution within the port area of Yeosu Industrial Complex,” adding, “We will continue to do our best to create a safe and pleasant port by continuously identifying safety and environmental risk factors.”

Gwangyang=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Heo Seonsik hss79@asiae.co.kr

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.