Chinese firm attaches importance in environmental issues concerning Namibian project

Feng Yuanfei, acting project manager for the construction of a new container terminal, being carried out by China Harbor Engineering Company Ltd at Namibia's Walvis Bay, says the company has attached great importance to environmental issues concerning the project.
"We are fully aware of the environmental impact such a plant may have, especially for residents nearby, the nearest of whom is just 70 meters from the plant," Feng said.
He said the company has taken measures to minimize the noise produced by the construction.
"Noise levels are monitored at regular intervals using a hand level meter and we have ensured the noise level is not over 65 decibels," he said.
He further said the impact of noise from the site is largely influenced by the wind direction.
"When there is wester, it will direct noise away from the sensitive areas. Under stable atmospheric conditions or wind from the north, the noise doesn't easily disperse. So we always reduce or avoid noisy operations when the wind comes from north," said he.
He added regular environmental assessments are conducted to ensure the company stays within the prescribed international and national legal requirements and also to ensure that no harm comes to those in the proximity of the operations.
The sea around Walvis Bay has reasonable levels of hydrogen sulfide, for which the company has put in place measure to avoid the risks it may cause.
"Usually, this does not pose any health risks, but with operations such as dredging, the levels may rise. Though up till now, no worrying levels have been recorded but in the interest of environmental protection, we have certain measures in place," he said.
"We have various gas monitoring equipment across our site. When the gas density reaches 10 ppm, the alarms will automatically activate and an emergency procedure will kick off for both NamPort and the Chinese company staff," he said.
According to Feng, the completion of the project is scheduled for May 2017.