ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE AND AUDITING

The River Medway on which the Medway Ports are built has been declared as a non-polluted river, but with port activities increasing on it there is an increasing risk of it becoming polluted. This study reviewed the various activities carried out by the Medway Ports and audited these activities in relation to environmental management. Desk studies were carried out on the environmental review reports and audited financial reports. Results revealed that the Medway Ports were mainly involved in the importation of fresh produce, forest products, vehicles and general cargo. No significant data were periodically collated to monitor the quality of the River Medway at the Medway Ports. With respect to air quality, only carbon dioxide emission measurements were made, which was not enough for effective air quality monitoring. The Ports environmental management programmes focus more on health and safety issues at the expense of proper environmental monitoring schemes. This indicates that the Medway Ports compliance to corporate environmental management and associated established legislations is not effective enough and thus ought to be reviewed.