SSI General Manager Tom Holmer Reflects on Shipping Ambition 1.5C Summit
The shipping industry took a positive step forward towards a decarbonised future at the landmark Shipping Ambition 1.5°C summit in Bonn last week, which ran alongside the UNFCCC COP23 climate conference. The SSI was present as one of the key advisers to the summit, with SSI members Lloyd’s Register and RightShip as co-organisers, as well as 150 other ambitious, commercially-savvy leaders, strategists, and entrepreneurs from the shipping industry; all contributing to the debate to develop a draft Action Plan to map out how shipping can contribute to its fair share of GHG reductions, and decarbonise as quickly as possible.
Converting aspirations to action is critical and the summit identified areas where real progress can be made right now. Two key themes emerged for me; the importance of developing a “coalition of the willing” and transparency.
The “coalition of the willing” consists of those companies and organisations who are driving for higher standards now, and getting ahead of regulation. There is already a very broad coalition within the industry, committed to cross-stakeholder engagement, and it is incumbent on each of us to persuade others to join. There is acknowledgement that we need to develop more global forums based on focused working groups, including an Asia advocacy group. And there will also be enhanced collaboration between think-tanks and NGOs to provide the best use of resources, such as research and intelligence on a global basis, including in developing countries to share ideas, learnings and drive change.
Data emission transparency is a major challenge and has always held back by commercial considerations. The EU’s Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) and the IMO’s system which come into force in 2018 and 2019 respectively will go some way to providing ship operators with the information they need to make informed choices about their vessel selection. Shipping Ambition will take this further and define transparency and drive the adoption of that transparency in relation to emissions and operational data.
GHG emissions reduction has always been a critical part of the SSI’s Roadmap for developing a sustainable shipping industry. The enthusiasm for change at Bonn was genuinely uplifting and provides further encouragement and incentive for us all to work together for a better future.
China Navigation Company I Sustainable Ship Recycling
The China Navigation Company Ltd. (“CNCo”) is one of a small group of companies that has been working for over five years to help develop more sustainable Ship Recycling Facilities (“SRF”). This has been evidenced most recently in the Alang-Sosiya area on the coast of Gujarat state in western India; to help develop willing and proactive SRF to operate in an environmentally and socially responsible manner during the recycling of ships at the end of their economic lives.
CNCo sets strict standards, based on both its company policies and global standards such as the Hong Kong Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (“HKC”), even prior to its coming into force internationally, that must be met by SRF before they will be accepted as tenderers. CNCo then establishes clear contractual arrangements with the selected Ship Recycling Facilities, through which CNCo will work with the yards to encourage them to continually raise standards, conditions and work practices.
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Social Sustainability
Time period: 2014-2016
Members involved: Cargill, Gearbulk, IMC
Seafarer’s lives onboard ships are not in the social consciousness of the general public. This invisibility is a concern when we consider seafarer welfare issues and ongoing recruitment into the industry.
Unlike shore-based careers, seafarers spend their lives in their workplace, with little interaction outside of their colleagues. The life of a seafarer has always been one of relative isolation; however, over recent years, with great technological advances on shore, this isolation has become more apparent and can be a significant barrier to recruiting new seafarers
The welfare of seafarers should be a key concern for all those in the shipping industry. The SSI is committed to making seafaring a more attractive career choice by identifying barriers to entry for young people, and by increasing the overall quality of life on board ships.
The SSI carried out an initial scoping study on the availability of information on maritime careers. The study first looked at what is needed to attract young people to shipping and identified a need for a single point where all necessary resources can be found by young people.
The working group also undertook research on the liveability aspects of life on board. The analysis of these results, coupled with the adoption, ratification and implementation of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) provisions, prompted the SSI to develop a best practice charter to enhance seafarer welfare.
This charter was developed for adoption by shipowners, operators and managers to adopt, demonstrating their recognition of seafarers’ contribution to the value of their operations, and that they are going beyond compliance to implement voluntary provisions in the MLC.
Since the development and publication of the charter, SSI member RightShip has introduced inspections of liveability aspects into their rating products, which we welcome.
Financing sustainable shipping: Final report
2012-2013 saw SSI members ABN Amro, AkzoNobel, Forum for the Future, Maersk, and Wärtsilä work together to develop Save As You Sail (SAYS) – a robust financing package to enable both owners and charterers to benefit from efficiency upgrades with a transparent understanding of expected savings, and new financing facilities for fund upfront costs.
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Closed-loop materials management: Final report
The Closed-loop materials management (CLMM) working group between 2012-2013 explored the potential role of collecting and tracking data about materials used in ship construction, carrying out three pilot projects and a set of stakeholder consultations to understand the future role and opportunities for a closed loop economy in shipbuilding, operation and recycling.
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A step change in energy technology and innovation uptake: Final report
Part of the Clean Technology working group between 2012-2013, this slide deck explores what it would take it enable the widespread uptake of step-change technologies and operational techniques to contribute to the reduction of ship energy consumption and drastically cut GHG emissions.
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Credible benchmarking: Final report
The Rating schemes working group (2012-2013) brought together SSI members BP Shipping, Carnival Corporation, DNV, Forum for the Future, Maersk, Lloyd’s Register, Rio Tinto, Unilever and WWF. The group worked with Southampton Solent University to promote sustainability rating schemes in shipping, identifying a number of barriers to uptake.
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The Sustainable Shipping Initiative hosts 3rd annual Roundtable on Sustainable Ship Recycling
SSI driving and mediating meaningful debate with key industry stakeholders to progress sustainable ship recycling
London – 1st March 2017 – The Sustainable Shipping Initiative (“SSI”), a pioneering coalition of companies from across the global shipping industry, announced that it is holding its 3rd annual Roundtable on Sustainable Ship Recycling in Singapore today.
The roundtable event will be attended by key industry stakeholders, including members of the SSI, as well as an increased number of delegates from NGOs, industry bodies, class societies, regulatory bodies and ship owners. In addition to those who attended last year, invitations have been extended to recycling yards in China, Turkey and the USA, which are certified as compliant with the Hong Kong Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships (HKC).
Led by the SSI, delegates will discuss and debate the complex challenges and barriers facing the industry in its pursuit of sustainable ship recycling, and crucially, how they can be overcome. The SSI has a working group dedicated to improving the health, safety and environmental standards currently associated with ship recycling, and goals for their improvement are a key element of the SSI’s Roadmap for sustainability, launched in 2016.
The SSI’s work on sustainable ship recycling also compliments the aims of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, a key focus of the SSI moving forwards. The related goals include Goal 14, to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources, and Goal 8, to ensure decent work for all.
Ian Petty, General Manager, the Sustainable Shipping Initiative, said:
“This is the SSI’s third roundtable dedicated to making progress in achieving sustainable ship recycling, and building on the outcomes accomplished at our previous events. This year, we have more attendees than ever, from a wider range of organisations relevant to the issue of sustainable ship recycling, and we look forward to making further progress in driving change and overcoming the complex barriers and challenges.”
The roundtable, held under the Chatham House rule, will focus on how further improvements can be made at and around ship recycling facilities (SRF) in critical areas such as health, safety, social conditions and governance, beyond the basic compliance with the Hong Kong Convention. The delegates will also discuss how the progress and improvements that have been made to date can be standardised and sustainably maintained over the long-term.
Since the last Roundtable, held in Dubai last March, the HKC has moved closer to being formally ratified, with Denmark and Panama both agreeing to sign the convention, and India announcing its intention to do the same in 2017. In addition, an increased number of yards have received Statements of Compliance with the HKC, with more yards working towards the same goal. While this shift demonstrates the progression that has been made within the industry, more work needs to be done to further improve the safety, environmental and social conditions associated with ship recycling.
Ian Petty concluded:
“Despite the progress that has been made, ship recycling remains an incredibly complex issue with differing opinions on how and where developments should be made. It is therefore vital that we create a forum where these important discussions can be held, and where the SSI and its members can actively work with key stakeholders to drive progress in an area that is so integral to delivering a sustainable shipping industry by 2040.”
-ends-
Notes to Editor
About the Sustainable Shipping Initiative
The Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) is an ambitious coalition of shipping leaders from around the world that is taking practical steps to tackle some of the sector’s greatest opportunities and challenges. The group is working to achieve a vision of an industry in which sustainability equals success.
It is the first time the shipping industry has joined forces on such a cooperative global scale to tackle big sustainability issues. The ultimate goal is to show that collaborative action is possible, and to mobilise support across the industry, demonstrating that shipping can contribute to – and thrive in – a sustainable future.
The cross-industry SSI has members from a number of companies representing ship owners and charterers, shipbuilders, engineers and service providers, banking and classification societies. Member companies include ABN AMRO, AkzoNobel, Bunge, Cargill, China Navigation Company, IMC, Lloyd’s Register, Maersk Line, U-Ming Marine Transport Corporation and Wärtsilä.
In September 2013 the SSI became an independent charity. The SSI was initially facilitated by global sustainability non-profit Forum for the Future in conjunction with WWF, the global conservation NGO. Forum for the Future and WWF remain as SSI NGO members.
About the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
The UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, consisting of 17 Sustainable Development Goals officially entered into force in January 2016. They encourage industry to play a vital role in achieving the specified targets, and in light of this the SSI is taking a position that the shipping industry can help deliver specific targets. In doing so the SSI is ensuring that its work going forward not only meets its own vision for a sustainable shipping industry by 2040, but also contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
For further information, please contact:
Nick Blythe
BLUE Communications
T: + 44 (0) 7917 138 723
SSI Nominated for the GREEN4SEA Clean Shipping Award 2017
The Sustainable Shipping Initiative is excited to be a shortlisted nominee for the GREEN4SEA Clean Shipping Award 2017.
The Clean Shipping category is for organisations that are contributing towards cleaner shipping. The SSI nomination has been for our Vision for 2040 towards a sustainable shipping industry by setting priorities and aspirations clearly via its ‘Roadmap’ and ‘Case for Action’ initiatives.
The voting for these awards ends on the 24th March, please show your support for our work towards greater sustainability by voting for us at http://www.green4sea.com/2017-green4sea-awards/ .
SSI Quarterly Newsletter - December 2016
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