Keeping Our Port Clean

Port Everglades maintains a deep commitment to the environment through a variety of conservation, preservation and pollution prevention plans intended to protect our native wetlands, our harbor and the wildlife inhabiting the land and sea at the Port. Nothing is more important, however, than keeping the environment free from the devastating effects of oil spills.

Throughout the year, oil spill clean-up companies and governmental agencies conductvarious oil spill prevention and emergency response training operations as well as water quality studies of the Port Everglades area. In addition, the Port works hand in hand with the Broward County Department of Planning and Environmental Protection (DPEP) to oversee the management of the local environment. Through licensing and regulation, the DPEP ensures that businesses handling hazardous materials at the Port comply with relevant environmental legislation and maintain environmentally sound, responsible use of the Port's facilities, waterways and land.

Port Everglades has been selected as one of nine seaports nationwide and two federal agencies to participate in a newly initiated Port Environmental Management System (EMS) Assistance Project. The Port Department applied for inclusion in the prototype environmental program to upgrade its current environmental protection standards and receive formal ISO 14001 certification -- the International Organization of Standardization's environmental management system.

An EMS is a set of management processes and procedures that allow an organization to analyze, control and improve the environmental consequences of its activities. Benefits experienced by similar organizations include improved overall environmental performance (including areas not currently regulated), expanded pollution prevention opportunities, improved compliance, and enhanced operational control and efficiency.