CLIENT: Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works
The main scope of the EBS is to record the environmental status of the Larnaca port, marina and surrounding area and includes studies regarding the compatibility or interference of the commercial activities of the port and the marina with the potential/proposed uses to be developed in the area as well as the neighboring urban environment. The Survey identifies existing environmental contamination (soil, surface water and groundwater of the Larnaca Port basin and Marina Basin, seawaters and sea bottom sediments, structures, atmosphere, noise) in relation to the indicated sampling points.
The Sampling and Environmental Analysis Plan at first describes the methodology that was used for the selection of sampling and measurement points, in order to cover all sites with the most suitable environmental parameters. Furthermore, the Sampling and Environmental Analysis Plan presents the equipment and the applicable international standards (ISO) and protocols to be followed for carrying out the required sampling/testing/analysis in each case. The Plan also indicates the allowable levels/ concentrations of the physicochemical parameters based on applicable law and regulations for the specific uses. In case that, such standards are not applicable, detailed description of the applied methods is provided.
The performed environmental survey had its limitations and constraints as per its original scope. These relate mostly to the limited period of time that was executed (i.e. two months) and its timing, which covered only two months of the year, more or less with same characteristics (i.e. beginning of rainy season). These factors, reduce the confidence limits of the documented results, and do not allow for safe conclusions in the current Environmental Survey, as per sources and the concentration levels (high or low) of certain parameters. These results represent the environmental status of the Port and Marina Area, which corresponds to the specific conditions that were present during the sampling campaign. These conditions relate to the specific meteorological conditions, the Port/Marina operations, and the ambient conditions around the Port, during the time of each sampling activity that took place during these two months.
Nonetheless, the results obtained can be interpreted into basic conclusions that can be withdrawn in respect and in relation to the development potential of the examined site, and especially to a preliminary evaluation of the current environmental status of the Port and the Marina premises. This is done by taking into account historical uses and operational activities, meteorological conditions and Port/Marina activities during the sampling campaigns.
In general, the main conclusion that can be extracted from the results obtained and the analysis performed is that the proposed development of the area appears to be environmentally permissible, while the current use of the Port and Marina has not been found as such to have the capacity to negatively affect the surrounding areas and their uses.
