Project will increase the capacity of London Gateway logistics hub A Dubai-based logistics company has announced that it will begin work next month on a new fourth berth at its London Gateway logistics hub. The £300m scheme, which is designed to increase supply chain resilience and create more capacity for
Innovation initiative targets diversity-focussed companies in latest recruiting round to help drive development of UK SMEs Of the Innovation Accelerator’s third cohort, two of the five SMEs have female CEOs or founders, and three have BAME CEOs or founders HS2 Ltd has launched a new phase in the development of
Leading wet civil engineers Land & Water has completed dredging works on behalf of the Isle of Man Government as part of a wider three-year project which has removed over 22,000m3 of silt from Peel Marina. This has helped to significantly improve the water depths, improving the marina’s access and
Children from Howard Community Academy in Bury St. Edmunds have come up with the names of the roads on a new housing development, Lyle Place. As part of the Keepmoat Homes’ ongoing commitment to the local community, pupils from the school were invited to suggest street names for the new
Network Rail has awarded civil engineering and infrastructure specialist Barhale a contract to carry out a programme of key access upgrades at Finsbury Park station. The principal focus will be the installation of two new lifts to the island platforms serving the national rail network. The works continue the upgrade
Civil engineering specialist GRAHAM has reached a major milestone on the new M11 Junction 7a project at Harlow, Essex, following the installation of the structural steel beams to create a new overbridge at the junction. The new Mores Overbridge will form an integral part of the infrastructure project, which has
Crossrail has today handed over the Woolwich Elizabeth line station to Transport for London, following the successful delivery by Balfour Beatty; marking the fourth central London station to be transferred ahead of Trial Operations beginning later this year. Delivered alongside its design partners, Mott MacDonald, the revitalised station will ensure
WORKS are continuing at six renovation projects across the north thanks to specialist contractor The Input Group – including Manchester Victoria, Keighley, Ilkley, Alnmouth, Redcar, Mills Hill and Prescot railway stations. The projects, which are being carried out on behalf of Northern, comprise the refurbishment of both public and staff facilities
Commercial trucking is big business. At any moment, tens of thousands of trucks are at work all over America, hauling goods from place to place. They’re often active at all hours of the day and night. Trucking has existed for many decades, and it will doubtless continue to do so.
“Smart ports are the only ports that will survive … Smart means to me: no waste of space, time, money and natural resources.” – Olaf Merk, Administrator for Ports and Shipping at the ITF of the OECD As the commercial success of a port creates greater prosperity for it’s community,
Project will increase the capacity of London Gateway logistics hub A Dubai-based logistics company has announced that it will begin work next month on a new fourth berth at its London Gateway logistics hub. The £300m scheme, which is designed to increase supply chain resilience and create more capacity for the world’s largest vessels, comes on top of the £2bn DP World has ploughed into the UK over the past decade. British ports have been under pressure from Brexit and coronavirus-fuelled stockpiling surges that have caused UK businesses to face vastly higher container shipping costs than normal. This has been one of the factors helping drive pressure on the construction materials crisis. Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, group chairman and chief executive of DP World, said: “As a central pillar of Thames Freeport, London Gateway’s new fourth berth will allow even more customers to benefit from world class ports and logistics, with unrivalled global connectivity, on the doorstep of Europe’s largest consumer market.” In the first six months of 2021 London Gateway saw record throughput of 888,000 20-foot-long containers – up 23% on the previous best performance for the first half of a year. The new fourth berth will raise capacity by a third and completion will coincide with the delivery of a new wave of 24,000 20-foot-long container vessels in 2023/2024, which will all be operated between Asia and Europe. Along with the Port of Tilbury and Ford’s Dagenham plant DP World London Gateway will form the Thames Freeport, which was awarded freeport status by the government earlier this year. DP World Southampton has also been awarded freeport status as part of Solent Freeport.
Innovation initiative targets diversity-focussed companies in latest recruiting round to help drive development of UK SMEs Of the Innovation Accelerator’s third cohort, two of the five SMEs have female CEOs or founders, and three have BAME CEOs or founders HS2 Ltd has launched a new phase in the development of the UK’s SME tech sector with the opening to a third cohort of its successful Innovation Accelerator programme, delivered in partnership with Connected Places Catapult and Bruntwood SciTech. The company delivering Britain’s new high speed rail network took a conscious decision to reach new and diverse thinking by focusing on small digital and data technology firms and building strategic partnerships with diversity-focused entrepreneurial SMEs. Putting measures in place to champion equality, diversity and inclusion, such as assessing applications blind and anonymously, enabled HS2 to secure a diverse talent pool. As a result, two of the third cohort’s five SMEs have female CEOs or founders, and three have BAME CEOs or founders. HS2 Ltd Innovation Manager, Rob Cairns said: “With the third cohort intake we focused on reaching a diverse range of businesses who we believe can bring fresh thinking and a new perspective to our mission of reducing HS2’s carbon footprint and improving the health and safety of our teams, as well as the security of our worksites.” Entering the Accelerator in August, the five firms were chosen to develop techniques for designing carbon out from the railway and to monitor and improve site safety and security. As one of the most sustainable high speed railways in the world, HS2 will support the UK in making the transition to a net zero carbon economy. It has set a commitment to reduce the carbon impact of construction on the project by 50%, as well as delivering low carbon journeys and cutting carbon emissions from other forms of transport. The Innovation Accelerator’s new entrants are: Looper, established by Yiqiang Zhao, is developing cutting-edge technology that analyses designs to ensure that the plans and materials use the least-carbon intensive options. HS2 Ltd believes the technology can be refined on Phase One of the project and deployed across later phases. Looper’s founder, Yiqiang Zhao, said: “The HS2 Accelerator provides an ideal platform for us to further validate, fine-tune and embed our solution into the biggest infrastructure project in Europe. It’s a great opportunity for us to help HS2 contractors automate carbon tracking and calculations through the design and build. In the four months of the programme, we hope to secure a pilot project and seek fundraising.” MachineMax is developing technology to monitor and improve the operating efficiency of worksite plant and machinery. It will identify where assets are working below capacity in order to cut emissions, accelerate works programmes and reduce costs. A key feature of Machine Max’s software is that it is “agnostic”, meaning it can be used on any make of site equipment. MachineMax CEO Shweta Saxena said: “We are so excited to be in Cohort 3 of the HS2 Accelerator. It is a great opportunity to work with best in class professionals and be part of the innovation that will leave a legacy in the UK for years to come. Our goal is to integrate MachineMax across the HS2 digital ecosystem and connect the entirety of the fleet to monitor and improve on-site emissions and efficiency.” Tended, founded by Leo Scott Smith when he was aged 22, enters the Innovation Accelerator to develop wearable technology for worksite teams. It works to improve worksite safety practices with a buzz to alert the wearer to a potential risk. In addition, by feeding the risk alerts back to a central database, the programme can build a site map and identify if hotspots are occurring so that the repeated risk can be remedied. Tended founder Leo Scott Smith said: “We’re very excited to be working with HS2. We share the ambition to transform safety on site and set the standards for others to follow. Working with HS2, we believe that Tended’s blend of technological capability and deep understanding of human behaviour can revolutionise site safety for HS2 and its supply chain.” FYLD’s technology uses artificial intelligence, language processing and machine learning to inform site teams’ safety, quality and productivity decisions. The solution’s safety features include high-risk job alerts and proactive fatigue management. Equipping teams with these data-driven actionable insights delivers safer, more productive, and environmentally-friendly operations. FYLD CEO, Shelley Copsey said: “We are confident that as the UK accelerates the progress of one of the most exciting transport projects in Europe, our technology will have a transformative impact on field workers and rail businesses alike. We’re looking forward to collaborating with both HS2 Ltd and the other cohorts as part of this programme as we make an impact through increased efficiencies, improved health and safety, and a lower carbon footprint.” Sensing Feeling’s solution for de-risking construction sites uses advanced sensing software powered by computer vision and machine learning to detect how people, machines and vehicles behave in real-time. Founder Jag Minhas said: “We’re super-excited to be joining some really smart companies in bringing innovative technologies to HS2. We’re looking forward to working with potential ecosystem clients and cohort collaborators to accelerate the use of advanced sensing products to make places safer for workers and customers.”
Leading wet civil engineers Land & Water has completed dredging works on behalf of the Isle of Man Government as part of a wider three-year project which has removed over 22,000m3 of silt from Peel Marina. This has helped to significantly improve the water depths, improving the marina’s access and functionality for years to come. Having previously removed approx. 40% of silt last year, using its specialist plant including long reach excavators on floating barges, Land & Water has now dredged the remaining materials between March and May this year. All silt has been transported to the drying lagoon which was constructed and lined by Land & Water last spring for storage and dewatering. The lagoon was carefully constructed to meet specific requirements, meaning that any remaining heavy metals and other contaminants can be safely contained. Now that the dredging is complete, the material will be allowed to dry before being removed to a licensed facility. The former greenfield site will then be returned to its original state. Charlie Oakes, Project Manager at Land & Water, said: “We are pleased to have completed this groundbreaking three-year project and to have supported the Isle of Man Government in its all-important venture to safeguard Peel Marina. “Having returned to the island in February this year, during the Isle of Man’s third national lockdown, I would like to thank the dedicated Land & Water project team who were willing to travel and stay away from their homes and families to ensure we could continue delivering high quality services to improve and maintain waterways across every part of the UK. “Going above and beyond for our clients is something that we pride ourselves on at Land & Water and I am proud to have witnessed the strength and commitment from the project team during such challenging circumstances.” The Peel Marina dredging project was only one of two major contracts to be allowed to continue working on the Isle of Man during the previous lockdown period. The Land & Water team complied with all Coronavirus guidelines by self-isolating on the island beforehand and taking the required Covid-19 tests. After showing its resilience and ability to adapt working methods to meet the ongoing Coronavirus restrictions, Land & Water has re-established the efficiency of Peel Marina for the future. The Peel Marina project is vital to the local community; this work promises to ease pressures put on the marina, ensuring that it is restored to its correct level for access and operation. This will continue to bring real economic benefits to Peel. With the works split across two phases, every stage of this project was carefully considered and structured to safely handle the materials removed from this site. Land & Water is proud to have contributed to a project which promises to bring about such positive change.
Children from Howard Community Academy in Bury St. Edmunds have come up with the names of the roads on a new housing development, Lyle Place. As part of the Keepmoat Homes’ ongoing commitment to the local community, pupils from the school were invited to suggest street names for the new development’s roads, which when completed, will comprise of 79 new homes. The local history of the area has been recognised by the naming of four roads at the new housing development and to acknowledge the school’s former site, along with Howard Park which is adjacent to the development, Howard Road, submitted by Aly (aged 11) was chosen as one of the new street names. In honour of Mary Tudor, sister of Henry VIII, who’s final resting place is at Bury St. Edmunds, Westhorpe Avenue was put forward by Mackenzie (aged 11), which pays homage to Westhorpe Hall, the residence of Mary Tudor and the Duke of Suffolk, Charles Brandon. Other road names at Lyle Place include Charles Place which has been named after Charles Brandon, the second husband of Mary Tudor, and Frances Street which has been named after the daughter of Mary Tudor. All the street names are now present at the development, and the pupils of the winning road names each received £40 national book token as appreciation for their suggestions. “We’re delighted to have worked with Howard Community Academy to name the new roads at Lyle Place. The children came up with some exciting new road names which recognises the important history of the area,” said Mick O’Farrell, Regional Managing Director at Keepmoat Homes. “The site is located on the former Howard Community Primary School and it’s important to us to get the community involved in the redevelopment of their local area. The street naming was a perfect example of how we not only look to the future by bringing much-needed new homes to the area, but also harness the rich history in the area.” In partnership with The Newbury Community Association (NCA), Suffolk Council and St Edmundsbury Borough Council, Lyle Place will comprise of 56 properties for the open market along with 23 homes which will be available as affordable housing via Havebury Housing. This is the homebuilder’s first development in Bury St. Edmunds and the company will deliver a mix of two- three- and four-bedroom homes, with a range of house types and styles to suit a diverse market. The development will also include a number of amenities for both new and existing residents including a brand-new community centre, a large parkland area and additional outdoor spaces. Work on the development is due to take two years, with the last home completion due Autumn 2022.
Network Rail has awarded civil engineering and infrastructure specialist Barhale a contract to carry out a programme of key access upgrades at Finsbury Park station. The principal focus will be the installation of two new lifts to the island platforms serving the national rail network. The works continue the upgrade and refurbishment programme at Finsbury Park which has improved the station’s entrance ways and thoroughfares. It will make step-free access possible throughout, to the benefit of many rail passengers. Alongside the installation of the two new lift shafts, Barhale will also make alterations to the platform canopies and create new entrances between the shafts and the existing tunnel passageways. Finsbury Park Station is a major transport interchange between national rail, and London’s underground and bus services. Pre-Covid-19, it saw more than 30 million passengers per year. According to contracts manager Jaimie Lawson, one of the key challenges will come from working in a live station. “This is a major intermodal transport hub for London,” he said. “Although passenger numbers are down because of the pandemic, this is still a very busy location. Safety will be paramount – and we will also face the constraints of working within COVID-19 protocols. “The project itself is mainly civils, M&E and building services but it presents some real challenges in terms of logistics – especially getting materials in and out while working across the different levels of the site. To make sure there is minimal disruption and to deliver the project as quickly as possible, we will be working 24 hours in three shifts, 5 days a week. Operational constraints also mean that we will be drawing on Barhale’s tunnelling heritage and working with smaller-scale specialist equipment.” Director Andy Flowerday sees the contract as an important addition to Barhale’s portfolio of rail projects. “This award recognises both Barhale’s experience in rail and of working on highly constrained sites,” he said. “Strategically, rail is a key sector, so we are really pleased to be given the go-ahead at an important and highly-visible upgrade to one of the busiest stations in London outside of Zone 1. “We look forward to delivering a first-class result for Network Rail and for the millions of users who pass through Finsbury Park’s portals every year.” Construction is scheduled to start in August 2021. Completion is expected by late 2022. ends
Civil engineering specialist GRAHAM has reached a major milestone on the new M11 Junction 7a project at Harlow, Essex, following the installation of the structural steel beams to create a new overbridge at the junction. The new Mores Overbridge will form an integral part of the infrastructure project, which has been funded through Highways England and Essex County Council to create a new junction between the existing junctions 7 at Harlow and 8 at Stansted on the M11, providing a new east-west link through the Essex town. Along with a new link road and upgrade to Gilden Way in Harlow, the junction will improve access to the area’s busy road network, helping facilitate growth and creating better connectivity for residents, businesses and visitors. The new Mores Overbridge links the eastern and western sides of the new M11 Junction 7a which, via a ‘dumbbell roundabout’ arrangement, will provide full connectivity with new northbound and southbound on-slips and off-slips. GRAHAM’s project team completed the beam installation over a two-week period to include offline rigging and de-rigging of the main lifting crane. Four overnight closures of the M11 were utilised to allow the safe lifting and installation of the beams. The closures also allowed for the installation of all the permanent formwork panels to the deck and the installation of the permanent bracing between the pairs of beams. Working in collaboration with Highways England the closures were further used for other maintenance works on the M11 preventing the need for numerous other closures and therefore minimising the impact on the road users. David Slevin, Project Manager for GRAHAM, said: “We are really pleased to have completed this significant milestone of the M11 Junction 7a scheme. The scale of the overall operation to complete these works was huge. With a 600t capacity crawler crane being deployed for the main lifts the establishment of the crane platforms, crane assembly area and beam assembly and delivery areas proved highly challenging tasks. “Thankfully, we were able to call on the vast engineering experience of our team and the teams of our supply chain partners to complete the delivery, lifting and installations without any issues arising. We now shift our focus onto the next phase of works in this important infrastructure project which will provide major benefits for Harlow and its surrounding areas.” The major earthworks operations and drainage installation works on the scheme are also underway on the junction and link road into Harlow. With these due for completion in autumn 2021 the surfacing, fencing, landscaping and other finishing works will then continue into 2022. Significant surfacing works to the widened existing Gilden Way carriageway are also due to commence in June with a strategic series of planned weekend closures being utilised to allow the works to be completed safely and efficiently. The £39.5m M11 Junction 7a scheme has been funded through Highways England, the Department for Transport, Essex County Council and the South East Local Enterprise Partnership and is scheduled for opening next year.
Crossrail has today handed over the Woolwich Elizabeth line station to Transport for London, following the successful delivery by Balfour Beatty; marking the fourth central London station to be transferred ahead of Trial Operations beginning later this year. Delivered alongside its design partners, Mott MacDonald, the revitalised station will ensure quicker, easier and more convenient travel for commuters, residents and visitors each day both into and out of Woolwich, whilst also supporting wider regeneration in the local area – creating numerous jobs and opportunities for local businesses. Works to the much-anticipated station involved the delivery of a 276-metre-long underground station, with Balfour Beatty Ground Engineering providing the associated diaphragm walls and bearing piles. In addition, Balfour Beatty was responsible for installing Mechanical and Electrical plant at two portals as well as station operations rooms where the Elizabeth line trains will surface from either end of the Thames Tunnel at North Woolwich and Plumstead. Andy Lambden, Balfour Beatty Project Director, said: “This is an incredible milestone for both Balfour Beatty and Crossrail – one that signifies another step towards the official opening of the long-awaited, iconic, Elizabeth Line. “Testament to our unrivalled expertise from across the Group, we are delighted to have safely and successfully delivered a station which will transform travel across south east London, whilst also supporting economic growth in the area through new employment and business opportunities.” Mark Wild, Crossrail Chief Executive, said: “I am delighted that Woolwich station has been handed over to Transport for London. Woolwich is a beautiful station, surrounded by history which has been brilliantly captured by all those working on the station build. I am proud of everyone who has worked so hard to get this magnificent new railway station over the line.” David Eastland, Mott MacDonald’s project design director, C530 Woolwich Station, said: “This has been a remarkable programme of works with some amazing people and skills. The station is a living legacy providing, transport homes and jobs, so it gives me great pleasure to see the station handed over as part of the transformation of the Woolwich area and the wider contribution to London.” Located on the site of the Royal Arsenal which was home to a military academy and previously used for the manufacture of guns and explosives, munitions testing and the production of medals including the ‘Dead Man’s Penny’ which was given to the next of kin of those killed during World War One, the station’s design subtly references the military past of the site. Why not watch the video below and learn more from Andy Lambden, Balfour Beatty’s Project Director?
WORKS are continuing at six renovation projects across the north thanks to specialist contractor The Input Group – including Manchester Victoria, Keighley, Ilkley, Alnmouth, Redcar, Mills Hill and Prescot railway stations. The projects, which are being carried out on behalf of Northern, comprise the refurbishment of both public and staff facilities in each build. With construction completed this month (June 2021), the £2.6 million Manchester Victoria reconfiguration included the redesign of its facilities across three phases in order to better suit the day-to-day operations of the station. This comprised an overhaul of the station’s mechanical and electrical systems, relocation of IT infrastructure including security cameras, PA and rail control systems and adaptations to the main Grade II listed building – which were centered around modernising NTL staff accommodation to improve employee experience. Chris Monk, managing director at The Input Group, said: “We’re incredibly excited about working across these projects as they will help to improve infrastructure across the north and contribute towards the reopening of the region’s tourist industry. “After a difficult year it’s great to see the country moving again, so we’re pleased to play our part in preparing these stations for a long-awaited rise in footfall – whether it be for work or leisure – that will help to rebuild the travel sector and support the national economy.” Keighley, Ilkley, Alnmouth and Redcar railway stations, which are due to be complete by July 2021, have all been commissioned as a joint project of works. The programmes include full redecoration with new carpet tiles and non-slip flooring, new kitchenettes for staff, refurbished toilets with updated sanitary facilities and wall coverings across all four projects. Chris continued: “We have a great working relationship with the team at Northern – having worked with them on multiple staff accommodation schemes in the past – and we’re incredibly happy that they have chosen The Input Group to work across these projects. Building strong client relationships is essential to our company ethos, which is why we work hard to deliver our projects on time, on budget and to an incredibly high standard, so we’re really excited to be making progress on these projects.” Mills Hill railway station will also be receiving a £450,000 park and ride refurbishment, which will see its number of parking spaces increase from 24 to 58 – including three fully accessible and three extra-wide spaces. The Input Group team will also be installing new lighting and CCTV cameras, creating motorbike parking and a one-way traffic system, and carrying out resurfacing works. The project is part of a wider initiative to improve accessibility to the station and encourage residents to travel more sustainably. The Input Group team also recently improved accessibility at Prescot railway station, with more than £3 million worth of refurbishment works completed this month (June 2021). The station now features a new lift shaft on each platform, a contemporary ticket office, fully accessible toilet facilities and enhanced lighting and signage throughout. The car park has also been resurfaced and remodelled to include a dedicated drop-off area, as well as having new secure cycle parking installed. These upgrades have made the station fully accessible with step free access between the car park, the station platforms and station facilities. Steve Kilby, senior project manager at Northern, said: “I am delighted that the improvement works at the Prescot station are now complete, especially as they continued despite the pandemic. Through a truly collaborative approach, Northern, Merseytravel, Knowsley Council, Network Rail, Seed Architects and The Input Group have worked so hard to make this happen under challenging circumstances. “The £3.6m project was delivered on time, within budget and with no accidents. The station is now much more welcoming and accessible for people who not only live in the town, but also for people who are visiting Prescot.” To find out more about The Input Group, please visit www.inputgroup.co.uk or contact marketing@inputgroup.co.uk.
Commercial trucking is big business. At any moment, tens of thousands of trucks are at work all over America, hauling goods from place to place. They’re often active at all hours of the day and night. Trucking has existed for many decades, and it will doubtless continue to do so. There are self-driving trucks in the works, but for the moment, companies need human operators to drive these big rigs and get them safely to where they’re going. Technology is always coming out that can help truck drivers, and GPS is the perfect example. Let’s take a closer look at truck driver GPS and what it can do for the modern trucker. History vs. Today Before we get into what you want to look for in the best truck driver GPS, you should know about the not-too-distant past out of which truck driver navigation comes. Not many years ago, truck drivers would rely on paper maps to get around. They would stop to consult them at diners and weighing stations, sometimes taking into account construction projects and road closures. A trucker would have to learn the country pretty quickly. They would need to know how to shave minutes off their routes and what roads to take if construction closed a particular one. It was an imperfect system, but the average trucker did the best they could with it. They had no viable alternative. The Onboard Infotainment System Many vehicles these days feature infotainment systems, not just commercial trucks. These systems usually have GPS capabilities. However, the companies did not create all of them equally. Some of them can instantly find routes to virtually any destination within the continental United States. Others are slower, and truckers probably won’t care for those as much. Truckers make their living delivering their payloads as quickly as possible, and they chafe whenever they encounter a delay. The best onboard infotainment system that also includes a GPS feature is the one that allows a trucker to plug in the coordinates and hit the road with no delays. They should see a clear route materialize on the screen in front of them. They should never have to do anything more than glance at that screen to see where they need to go next. What Else Might a Trucker Expect from a GPS? The GPS should also give the trucker instructions on when and where to turn in a clear, understandable voice. If it speaks with a thick accent or garbles some of the words, that’s not helpful. The best unit will also feature information about where commercial trucks can and cannot go. In that respect, trucker ones differ from systems that someone driving a family sedan would most appreciate. A trucker’s GPS should feature real-time traffic information. If the GPS knows that there’s a traffic jam up ahead, it might be able to instruct the driver on where they can go to avoid it. Are There Any Other GPS Features a Trucker Might Want? Some truckers may also look for trip logging capabilities. If the GPS can log a trucker’s route before they leave, they will know approximately what to expect along the way. The trucker’s company can also refer back to the trip log if they want to know what route the trucker took and how long it took them to get to their destination. The screen size can be a more critical issue than you might think. Some GPS screens are relatively large, and that can distract a trucker and cause an accident. Commercial trucks are enormous, so distracted driving is not something the trucker or their company will ever want to occur. The screen should not be too small, either. If the trucker has to squint at it to make out when they should turn and where, that can be just as lethal as having too large of a screen. Some GPS options show places where a commercial truck can stop and refuel. Most truckers considered that to be advanced technology not long ago, but now, it is much more common. Knowing where to stop and gas up can save lots of time and trouble on a long trip from coast to coast. What most commercial truck drivers come to realize is that there is no single answer regarding what GPS to use. They may have to experiment with a few different ones before coming across the ideal model for their needs.
“Smart ports are the only ports that will survive … Smart means to me: no waste of space, time, money and natural resources.” – Olaf Merk, Administrator for Ports and Shipping at the ITF of the OECD As the commercial success of a port creates greater prosperity for it’s community, pollution levels tend to increase. Multiple emission sources including those from ships, port handling equipment (diesel engines), the process of unloading break-bulk and those generated within the city itself create a complex air quality landscape with many moving parts. How do we accurately assess it? Traditionally, expensive reference equipment has been used by government sources to monitor background air quality. These remain the gold standard at a legislative level, yet it is understandable that port authorities would hesitate to deploy them in a measurement campaign. Not only are they very expensive, but they are also large and do not lend themselves to being easily repositioned to suit different measurement needs. The other option has been to use passive diffusion tubes, a simple indicative technique. Whilst very low-cost and can measure longer-term average gas concentrations in a specific location, they cannot track changes in air quality over minutes, hours or days. Self regulation is vital for port authorities to understand their impact on air quality and to select actions to address emissions under their control. Yet, the financial burden of installing analytical equipment suitable for comprehensive monitoring has been prohibitive. Over the course of the last three years, South Coast Science has worked to develop a portable product capable of data quality that is comparable with the reference-level monitor, yet at only one-tenth of the cost. Robust measurement of pollutants such as SO2, NO2, particulates, VOCs and others can now be established with ease from products offering high accuracy and repeatability. All pollutant and device data is cloud-mediated and can be viewed online via a cloud dashboard. It is clear that this new technology in general remains less well established than the traditional reference instruments. South Coast Science has responded to this with a data correction algorithm and a policy of data transparency, which allows users and external specialists to interrogate and validate the data provided by the system. To this end, South Coast Science has developed an open-source platform that allows customers to do their own checks. The collaboration with global environmental consultancy Ricardo PLC is described in a short video here. The task of establishing baselines early on should be one of the aims of any measurement campaign so that subsequent pollution mitigation strategies can be measured and effectiveness established. For this purpose where priorities are yet to be decided, consulting services might be used to assist in focussing on the quickest wins with the most economical solutions. South Coast Science has worked with independent air quality consultants with many years of experience in various market sectors and would be happy to pass on details. For more information please contact David.Johnson@southcoastscience.com.
