Glossary
ABP: Associated British Ports, the main operating subsidiary of ABPH
ABPH: Associated British Ports Holdings PLC
BATNEEC: Best Available Technology Not Entailing Excessive Cost
BiE: Business in the Environment index – a leading benchmark of FTSE-listed companies’ environmental management and performance.
CCW: Countryside Council for Wales - the government’s statutory adviser on sustaining the natural beauty, wildlife and opportunity for outdoor enjoyment in Wales.
CHA: Competent Harbour Authority - a Harbour Authority that has responsibility for the provision of pilotage services.
CSR: Corporate Social Responsibility
DEFRA: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
DHSS: Department of Health and Social Security
EA: Environment Agency – a non-departmental public body which is responsible for the regulation of pollution, flood defence and river management.
EMARC: a European Union fourth framework research project endeavouring to quantify the effectiveness of the United Nations Marine Pollution Convention.
EMF: Environmental Management Framework – ABPH’s system for managing its environmental objectives and delivering its environmental policy. It currently covers the Group’s UK ports and transport business and has been extended in 2003 to cover the Group’s USA ports and transport business.
EMS: European Marine Sites – European nature-conservation designation which relates to intertidal and marine areas.In the UK, special management arrangements exist for dealing with the requirements of the EU Habitats and Birds Directives in relation to EMS.
EN: English Nature – the government-funded body which promotes the conservation of England’s wildlife and natural features.
Environmental assessment: a technique for ensuring that the likely effects of a new development on the environment are fully understood prior to any development going ahead.
EU: European Union
ESPO: European Sea Ports Organisations
Gro Harlem Brundtland: Former Norwegian Prime Minister, who was the Director of the World Commission on Environment and Development, the multinational body which laid the groundwork for the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.
Habitats Directive: a European Union directive relating to the protection of habitat features and certain non-bird species.
HSE: Health & Safety Executive – the UK’s largest independent health and safety regulator.
Hydrographic survey: field survey which may include measurements of current speed and direction, sediment characteristics and the bed profile of rivers, estuaries and along shorelines.
IAPH: International Association of Ports and Harbors
ICZM: Integrated Coastal Zone Management – a process that brings together all those with an interest in the use, conservation and development of the coast. ICZM aims to coordinate the policies which govern the planning and management of coastal spaces, both on land and on the water.
IMO: International Maritime Organisation – a specialised agency of the United Nations which is responsible for measures to improve the safety of international shipping and to prevent marine pollution from ships. It is also involved in legal matters, including liability and compensation issues and the facilitation of international maritime traffic.
IOSH: Institution of Occupational Safety and Health – Europe’s largest safety organisation.
ISM: the Integrated Ship Management code adopted by the International Maritime Organisation.
MCA: Maritime & Coastguard Agency – an executive agency of the Department for Transport responsible for improving maritime safety and protecting the marine environment.
MAFF: Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries & Food
MARPOL: Marine Pollution Convention of the United Nations
MPCU: Marine Pollution Control Unit, part of the MCA
NGOs: non-government organisations - private bodies, usually of charitable status, with special interests in particular subjects.
Numerical modelling: computer simulations designed to look at water flow, wave action or sediment transport in a variety of settings including rivers, estuaries and shorelines with man-made structures included.
OSHA: Occupational Safety & Health Administration – the health and safety enforcement agency of the US government.
PHA: Port Health Authorities are specialised bodies under local government control which exist in parallel with the Environmental Health Department of councils.
Physical modelling: the use of scale models built to increase the understanding of complicated water flows, wave action or sediment movements.
PMSC: Port Marine Safety Code – the Department for Transport’s code, which sets national standards for every aspect of port-marine safety. As the Statutory and Competent Harbour Authority for some of the biggest ports and harbours located around the UK, ABP played a leading role in its development.
PSSL: Port Skills and Safety Ltd – the port industry’s safety organisation which seeks to inform and engage organisations and individuals in order to help them achieve the objectives of the SPI. One of our operational Board Directors currently sits on the Board of PSSL.
PWMP: Port Waste Management Plan – a statutory plan prepared by ports for dealing with vessel-generated waste in order to prevent it being disposed of in the sea.
Ramsar: an international convention about wildlife sites which was agreed at the city of Ramsar in Iran.
Relevant authorities: those bodies specified in the Habitats Directive, including ports, which are given responsibility for creating a single scheme of management for SAC and SPA marine sites.
RoSPA: Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents – a registered charity which provides advice, information, resources and training in order to promote safety.
RSPB: Royal Society for the Protection of Birds – Europe’s largest wildlife conservation charity.
SAC: Special Area of Conservation under the European Union Habitats Directive
SHA: Statutory Harbour Authority – a body responsible for improving, maintaining and managing a harbour under the Harbours Act (1964).
SNH: Scottish Natural Heritage - a non-departmental public body, answerable to the Scottish Executive, which is responsible for the conservation and enhancement of Scotland's wildlife, habitats and landscape.
SPA: Special Protection Areas for birds under the European Union Birds Directive
SPI: Safer Ports Initiative – a campaign developed by PSSL and the port industry to reduce the number of accidents occurring within the industry.
SSSI: Sites of Special Scientific Interest - designated by the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981), these UK sites are of particular conservation interest because of the wildlife they support or because of their geological features.
UKD: UK Dredging, a division of ABP
UKMPG: United Kingdom Major Ports Group, the trade association of the UK's major ports.
VTS: Vessel Traffic Services – an operational centre which directs the movement of ships within a harbour area.