Today we celebrate the Day Of The Seafarer | 25 June 2015
The SSI supports the Day of the Seafarer.
This year’s campaign aims to inspire young people to consider a #CareerAtSea.
It will create a picture of seafaring as a viable, attractive and exciting option for those making their career or further-education decisions.
The Day of the Seafarer is an official United Nations international observance day taking place every year on 25 June, organized by the International Maritime Organization.
The SSI will actively contribute to this campaign so do follow us on @SustShipping and make sure you've subscribed to our newsletter
IMO has just released the video "Seafarers - A Career at Sea" produced by the Blue Angel Project. View it below and hear personal stories from the seafarers themselves.
SSI collaborates with Southampton Solent University on The Shipping Awareness Project
The international shipping industry is one of the few industries which can be said to have a genuine influence on our daily lives, not that most would know it. The image that the general public have of the industry is often one of poor safety and huge environmental disasters, as seen in the media. Many within the shipping industry accept that the public awareness of it is low and generally negative, but there has been little attempt to quantify this or identify its causes. There is wide speculation that the poor image of shipping, coupled with the generally negative press coverage it receives, are significant factors leading to low uptake of careers within the industry, particularly those with specialist skills such as engineering. Southampton Solent University is funding vital research to examine ‘sea blindness’, the lack of public awareness surrounding the shipping industry and plug a perceived skills gap. The research initially aims to establish the extent of sea blindness and generate valuable baseline data that can be used to inform the development of a range of tools to raise public awareness about the industry.
The research will:
- Provide understanding of the extent of public awareness of the shipping industry.
- Examine the barriers to entry into the industry.
- Help to make maritime careers a more attractive to young people.
This study forms the first part of a four phase programme which will research and document the issues associated with the low profile of the shipping industry. The research will itself raise awareness of the shipping industry through the implementation of a comprehensive media strategy.
In support of this research the SSI collaborates with SSU as part of its work on social sustainability. To find out more about the Shipping Awareness Project, please visit www.solent.ac.uk/shipping
Sustainable Shipping Initiative Engages With The Marshall and Pacific Islands Delegation
The Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) met during MEPC 68 with a delegation from the Marshall Islands and Pacific Island states to discuss current challenges, the need to keep global temperatures within 1.5c and our shared desire to find sustainable global solutions that marry economic and environmental priorities.
This week in London the International Maritime Organisation's Marine Environment Protection Committee postponed a decision on a new proposal promoted by The Marshall Islands to establish a greenhouse gas emissions target for the maritime sector. The fact that the third largest ship registry in the world proposed this indicates the industry's level of concern about the dangers of climate change. Although its request for a CO2 reduction goal was not met this week by IMO, there is strong sentiment throughout the shipping industry that more must be done for shipping to be part of proactive climate change solutions.
This is reflected in our Case for Action report, where we highlighted that companies should be prepared to meet these challenges and to work with the IMO on progressive regulation to anticipate future challenges. We look forward to further productive discussions with The Marshall Islands, and other progressive parties across the global maritime industry so that together we can start making a tangible impact on CO2 reduction.
SSI wins Guardian Sustainable Business Award
Members’ initiatives are recognised for their contribution to advancing the sustainability of the shipping industry
London – 30 April 2015 - The Sustainable Shipping Initiative (“SSI”), a pioneering coalition of companies from across the global shipping industry focused on uniting commercial growth with sustainable behaviours, has won the Guardian Sustainable Business award for ‘Consultancy of the Year’. Members were commended for delivering multiple projects that have brought new innovation and insight to help the shipping industry accelerate progress towards a more robust, responsible and profitable future.
Alastair Fischbacher, chief executive, the Sustainable Shipping Initiative said: “With responsibility for transporting 90% of the world’s goods, shipping is integral to the sustainability of the global economy as well as touching the lives of communities where we operate and the lives of those who choose the maritime industry as a career. Improving the performance of how we operate environmentally, socially and economically is a win-win for everyone involved.”
He continues: “We are delighted to receive this award as it recognises the progress our members are making collectively and practically. The collaborative nature of the SSI sees members working together in the spirit that, although they have their own individual initiatives, sharing best practices and learnings between members can promote broader and swifter changes as well as sharing some of the risks. Although we are not a consultancy in its truest sense, we do aspire to be a sounding board for interested parties on key shipping sustainability issues as well as actively sharing the experiences of our members with the wider industry to help drive change and the award shows our progress towards this.”
Several initiatives captured the judges’ attention including the SSI’s Save as you Sail financial model that demonstrates how charterers, owners and financiers can model ROI and profits from more efficient vessels; three pilot projects on closed-loop materials management which collected data on more than 96% of all the materials used on two new vessels and a cruise ship cabin to test the feasibility and value of using a database system to track ship materials; and analysis and recommendations on ship rating schemes to draw a closer link for charterers and operators between vessel efficiency and commercial incentivisation. The SSI was also recognised for its members’ agreement to sign up to a series of measurable shared commitments that set a baseline for industry sustainability practices, as well as its Case for Action report series that set out a clear agenda for change and the co-development of a roadmap to plot the steps required over the coming decades to achieve this.
The Guardian’s internationally prestigious awards programme is highly respected among sustainability opinion leaders, with a judging panel including some of the most influential thinkers from the world of sustainable business such as Cambridge University, University College London, Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, the International Institute for Environment and Development and The Rainforest Alliance. The awards recognise companies and organisations that combine innovation and effectiveness to make a positive impact through their corporate sustainability initiatives.
Gust Biesbroeck, Head of Shipping at ABN AMRO Bank concluded, "ABN AMRO Bank is a Dutch International bank, a partner in ship finance and a founding member of Sustainable Shipping Inititiave. The open and frequent dialogue with SSI members brings us closer to sustainability issues that the shipping industry is facing."
More information on the winning projects is available here.
Photo available to download here. From left to right: Carolyne Okeijn (Project Manager), Stephanie Draper (Chair SSI Board of Trustees) and Alastair Fischbacher (SSI Chief Executive).
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 15 companies representing ship owners and charterers, shipbuilders, engineers and service providers, banking and classification societies. Member companies include Bunge, Cargill, Carnival Corporation, China Navigation Company, Gearbulk, IMC, Maersk Line, U-Ming Marine Transport Corporation, Namura Shipbuilding Co, Wärtsilä, ABN AMRO, Lloyd’s Register, American Bureau of Shipping, AkzoNobel and Unilever.
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 Guardian Sustainable Business Awards
Now in their fifth year, the Guardian Sustainable Business Awards set out to reward innovation and impact in sustainable business. There are plenty of people working in both large and small organisations who deserve recognition for helping build sustainability into business.
The Awards recognise that the challenges are different depending on the organisation. Large businesses grappling with embedded structures and dispersed control face unique challenges in driving sustainability. Ambitions and time scales may sometimes not seem stretching enough to those of us hungry for progress. However, should large businesses achieve their sustainability goals, the scale of the impact they can make is significant.
Changing Context - Global Trends
The ‘Changing Context’ report was developed in partnership with Forum for the Future through its Futures Centre digital platform to report on the seven global trends highlighted in the SSI’s Case for Action in early 2012. In response to this, the SSI has since developed its Vision 2040 as well as a practical, action-orientated Roadmap, to address the issues identified. Three years on, the report revisits the trends to monitor how and where progress has been made.
Changes that were identified as moving most rapidly included the following:
- Higher expectations and increased scrutiny enabled by today’s highly networked, digital age have pushed investors, shipping customers and in turn, ports and charterers to push for transparency in ship performance. This has partially resulted in the development in incentives for the adoption of energy efficient technology (e.g. ship ratings schemes) and stronger sentiment towards the enforcement of sustainability standards and regulations
- Emissions regulations and the growth of renewable energy on land and forthcoming emission reduction targets have created momentum around investments in alternatives to marine fuel, with the most evident traction in the near-term around LNG. These developments coincide with the rising influence of emerging economies, which are leading the way on clean energy growth, fuelling both supply and demand.
The SSI launches report: Changing Context - Global Trends 2012 to 2015: How global trends have progressed and moving towards our vision for shipping in 2040
TRANSPARENCY PRESSURES AND UPTAKE IN ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOURCES IDENTIFIED AS CATALYSTS TO SUSTAINABILITY PROGRESS
SSI report highlights developments across sustainability challenges and opportunities over the last three years
Download link: SSI Global Trends Digital Final Report
Singapore, 14 April 2015 – The Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI), a pioneering coalition of companies from across the global shipping industry focused on uniting commercial growth with sustainable behaviours, has identified that since 2012, industry progress has been driven by greater demand throughout shipping supply chains for transparency as well accelerating investments in alternatives to bunker fuel. The combined effect of greater commercial and public scrutiny of shipping and sustainability-focused legislation has also led to increasing pressure for regulations to be enforced more strictly.
The ‘Changing Context’ report was developed in partnership with Forum for the Future through its Futures Centre digital platform to report on the seven global trends highlighted in the SSI’s Case for Action in early 2012. In response to this, the SSI has since developed its Vision 2040 as well as a practical, action-orientated Roadmap, to address the issues identified. Three years on, the report revisits the trends to monitor how and where progress has been made.
Changes that were identified as moving most rapidly included the following:
- Higher expectations and increased scrutiny enabled by today’s highly networked, digital age have pushed investors, shipping customers and in turn, ports and charterers to push for transparency in ship performance. This has partially resulted in the development in incentives for the adoption of energy efficient technology (e.g. ship ratings schemes) and stronger sentiment towards the enforcement of sustainability standards and regulations
- Emissions regulations and the growth of renewable energy on land and forthcoming emission reduction targets have created momentum around investments in alternatives to marine fuel, with the most evident traction in the near-term around LNG. These developments coincide with the rising influence of emerging economies, which are leading the way on clean energy growth, fuelling both supply and demand.
Speaking at an SSI-hosted event in Singapore today to launch both the report and The Futures Centre’s interactive discussion portal, the Future of Shipping topic hub, Alastair Fischbacher, chief executive, The Sustainable Shipping Initiative said: “Increased scrutiny and environmental regulation have undoubtedly put the industry under a fresh set of pressures over the last few years, and whilst many aspects of these are still being worked through, we are beginning to see some positive developments.”
Trends that are affecting shipping but at a steadier pace include the continued shift in economic and political power towards China, as well as the continued development of South-South trade, which is influencing demands on maritime services. Also, as more sustainability-driven legislation progresses, indications show that there is a little more certainty around the uptake of viable and proven efficiency-related technologies when compared with 2012.
The report highlights that challenges associated with improving ocean governance were not progressing as quickly as desired, largely due to increasing complexity. However, one of the areas of greatest concern was the industry’s response to climate change. With climate change accelerating more rapidly than predicted[1], a lack of policy and information directly related to shipping’s contribution and the impact of extreme climate change on the industry has stalled any proactive response.
“As climate change is on a track headed towards a ‘worst case’ scenario, the impact on shipping could be significant. For example rising sea levels, the opening of new shipping lanes due to melting ice caps and global trade patterns are all realities. Existing knowledge about climate change and hazards specific to the maritime sector remain insufficient for quantifying the economic consequences and specific needs to plan changes to safe ship designs and operations,” commented Alastair Fischbacher.
To track and develop responses to these changes as well as other relevant macro trends, the newly launched Future of Shipping topic hub provides a platform for the industry and wider business community to share their observations and experiences with a view to collaboratively identifying and exploring solutions to key issues.
Speaking at the SSI event in Singapore, Anna Simpson, Curator of the Futures Centre, said:
“When people share their understanding of change and the related risks, opportunities to act come to light. Our topic hub, launched today in collaboration the SSI, offers the shipping industry and related professions a shared space to track trends and identify common actions towards a sustainable future.”
Alastair Fischbacher concluded: “As our work groups push forward to address some of these areas practically and pro-actively, we encourage anyone with an interest in the future of sustainable shipping to connect with us through the platform – the more we can scale support, the quicker we can achieve momentum.”
The Changing Context Report is available to download on this link: SSI Global Trends Digital Final Report
ENDS
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 15 companies represent ship owners and charterers, shipbuilders, engineers and service providers, banking and classification societies. Member companies include Maersk Line, Wartsila, Bunge, Cargill, Carnival, ABN AMRO, AkzoNobel and Unilever.
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 Forum for the Future
Forum for the Future is an independent non-profit working globally with business, government and other organisations to solve complex sustainability challenges. Our Futures Centre uses the collaborative potential of the digital world to help make the big shift to a sustainable future. By tracking trends, sharing resources, and stimulating dialogue, we can explore how change is unfolding and make considered choices about what we do today for better outcomes tomorrow.
The Futures Centre features topic hubs, areas where businesses, non-profit organisations, and individuals can collectively monitor the future of a specific area of interest. Participants can gain a better understand of how change is happening and its future implications through discussion, horizon scanning and exploring the convergence of future trends. Our first topic hub explores the future of shipping.
Our shipping topic hub offers the Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) a means for the shipping industry to collectively track emerging solutions and respond to signals of change. Participants can contribute what they are seeing, and subscribe to receive regular updates from the contributions of their peers. The ultimate aim is to find opportunities for the SSI and the wider industry to accelerate progress towards the SSI vision of a shipping industry that is both profitable and sustainable by 2040.
For media enquiries please contact:
Amanda Lyons
BLUE Communications
T: +44 (0)771 100 8624
[1] Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
SSI event "The Future of Shipping" in Singapore | 14 April 2015
Meet members of the SSI and other key players in shipping and sustainability when SSI launches their topic hub “The Future Of Shipping” in partnership with The Futures Centre.
Date: 14 April 2015
Time: 17:00 to 19:00
Location: The Treetop @ Scape (2 Orchard Link, Orchard road)
Come early for drinks, canapés and networking.
Confirming your attendance is simple – You can do so online here.
Opening address: Alastair Fischbacher, Chief Executive of Sustainable Shipping Initiative
Megatrends influencing the future of shipping
Keynote address: Juan Aguiriano, President, Asia Pacific, DuPont Sustainable Solutions
Engagement for change
Panel discussion: Can maritime careers remain attractive in the digital age?
Chaired by Anna Simpson, Curator, Futures Centre
Panellists:
- Franck Violette, Director, American Bureau of Shipping / SSI Member
- Kate Pike. Senior Research Associate, Southampton Solent University
- Peter Wong, Director, HSSE, IMC Industrial / SSI Member
Introduction to The Future of Shipping Topic Hub by Ariel Muller, Director, Asia Pacific and Head of Futures Centre
Please confirm your attendance here
Signals of Change
The Signals of Change report, prepared by the Forum for the Future Futures Centre and released in 2015, focused on “Detecting early signs of change” through scanning trends in the macro environment and evaluating how the innovations that are largely outside of or adjacent to shipping could have an impact on the sector.
This report presents fifteen “weak signals” whose potential implications on the future of the shipping industry are evaluated. Three common themes emerge from this analysis that need broader industry considerations, particularly to help accelerate progress towards a more sustainable future for shipping.
- Who will govern the oceans?
- Will we recognise the future captains of the sea?
- What will be the nature of our cargo?
SSI identifies ‘signals of change’ that could reshape shipping's future
MEDIA RELEASE
SSI IDENTIFIES ‘SIGNALS OF CHANGE’ THAT COULD RESHAPE SHIPPING’S FUTURE
Ocean governance, leadership requirements and manufacturing developments to potentially have profound long-term impacts on shipping supply chains
London, 17 March 2015 – The Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI), a pioneering coalition of companies from across the global shipping industry focused on uniting commercial growth with sustainable behaviours, has released a new report, ‘Signals of Change’, that explores the potential impact of emerging technology, policy and behaviours on the future of sustainable shipping.
The report was developed in partnership with Forum for the Future through its Futures Centre digital platform, as part of an ongoing initiative to collectively track innovations and respond to signals of change in the shipping industry. Among the 15 developments highlighted in the report, three unifying themes emerged from the analysis, which could evolve to have a significant impact on shipping. These are:
- managing the demands and dynamics of ocean governance
- the changing requirements of shipping industry leaders, and
- the re-shaping of supply chains due to manufacturing developments.
“Despite the immediate challenges facing shipping, to ensure that the industry is robust, dynamic and profitable in the future, it is important to step back and evaluate how the global innovations that are either outside of, or adjacent to shipping, could have an impact on the sector”, commented Alastair Fischbacher, Chief Executive, The Sustainable Shipping Initiative. “We live in a world of increasing dynamism and volatility, where drivers such as climate change, growing demand for limited resources and increasing hyper-connectivity will have major effects on business. The industry will be better placed to adapt and seize opportunities if it identifies and understands these signs early on.”
The report highlights the wide-reaching impact of human activity in the marine ecosystem, particularly within the current context of emerging issues such as vessel quieting and underwater noise regulation as well as growing scrutiny of geoengineering as ocean acidification rates rise to unprecedented levels. Seabed mining could also become a major game-changer: despite polarised views on its feasibility as a sustainable source of natural resources, the The International Seabed Authority (ISA) has granted 19 exploration licences to date, and the first commercial deep-sea mining project, by Nautilus Minerals in Papua New Guinea, is expected to start operations within the next five years. Such initiatives are likely to drive further debate around the ownership rights and regulatory developments of the oceans.
As with all sectors, shipping will have to manage the changing demands on its leaders both at sea and onshore. In addition to the pressures of the digital era in terms of demonstrating transparency and accountability for both company and personal actions, changes in how shareholder value are measured, such as divestment campaigns around fossil fuels, could require executives to live up to different performance expectations. If emerging factors, including remote-controlled vessels, 4D printing and the greater automation of repetitive operations in ship-yards, are scaled, they could have a dramatic impact on the roles of those working within the industry.
How the nature of manufacturing evolves over the next decade and beyond will have a dramatic impact on the production and transportation of cargo. For example, the mainstream adoption of additive manufacturing and the development of new materials such as nanomaterials, will fundamentally challenge current manufacturing practices and locations. Combined with increased efforts to ‘close the loop’ on production through reverse logistics, supply chains will become increasingly complex, which the shipping industry will need to respond to.
The SSI and the Futures Centre will continue to monitor these and other macro trends to see how they develop and to highlight where solutions might be required. Contribution from the industry as well as the wider business community is also encouraged to collate a fully comprehensive perspective. Participants can submit their observations, and subscribe to receive regular updates from the contributions of their peers through the Futures Centre shipping topic hub.
Alastair Fischbacher concluded: “We will continue to monitor how these signals of change take shape within their different contexts as well looking into what other signs are on the horizon. As part of our work in this area we are also looking forward to sharing further insights with the Futures Centre in April on the social, economic and environmental challenges we are tackling as we progress towards our vision for a truly sustainable industry by 2040.
“Ultimately, the environment is constantly evolving and the SSI is passionate about helping the shipping industry to proactively prepare, adapt and embrace opportunities that emerge so that it thrives sustainably in the face of change.”
The Signals of Change Report is available to download here
ENDS
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 members of over 16 companies represent ship owners and charterers, shipbuilders, engineers and service providers, banking, insurance, and classification societies. Member companies include Maersk Line, Wartsila, Bunge, Cargill, Carnival, ABN AMRO, AkzoNobel and Unilever.
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 Forum for the Future
Forum for the Future is an independent non-profit working globally with business, government and other organisations to solve complex sustainability challenges. Our Futures Centre uses the collaborative potential of the digital world to help make the big shift to a sustainable future. By tracking trends, sharing resources, and stimulating dialogue, we can explore how change is unfolding and make considered choices about what we do today for better outcomes tomorrow.
The Futures Centre features topic hubs, areas where businesses, non-profit organisations, and individuals can collectively monitor the future of a specific area of interest. Participants can gain a better understand of how change is happening and its future implications through discussion, horizon scanning and exploring the convergence of future trends. Our first topic hub explores the future of shipping.
Our shipping topic hub offers the Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) a means for the shipping industry to collectively track emerging solutions and respond to signals of change. Participants can contribute what they are seeing, and subscribe to receive regular updates from the contributions of their peers. The ultimate aim is to find opportunities for the SSI and the wider industry to accelerate progress towards the SSI vision of a shipping industry that is both profitable and sustainable by 2040.
For media enquiries please contact:
Amanda Lyons
BLUE Communications
T: +44 (0)771 100 8624
The SSI highlights the rise of the "Sustainable Shipper"
MEDIA RELEASE
THE SSI HIGHLIGHTS THE RISE OF THE ‘SUSTAINABLE SHIPPER’
Charterers’ future procurement decisions will be driven by an increasing drive to improve sustainability within shipping supply chains
London, 18th November 2014 – The Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI), a pioneering coalition of companies from across the global shipping industry focused on uniting commercial growth with sustainable behaviours, is demonstrating how charterers are becoming a powerful force in driving sustainable shipping standards and becoming a catalyst for instigating industry change beyond regulation.
Initiatives by SSI members such as AkzoNobel, Cargill and Bunge have highlighted the clear link between pro-actively implementing new, innovative measures within their shipping operations as part of wider business-led sustainability strategies, and achieving significant tangible financial and environmental benefits as a result. These include:
- AkzoNobel: The company has incorporated the use of the ship ratings scheme, Clean Shipping Index, within its tendering process and has found that using this to inform purchasing decisions is strengthening its business value chain as a whole
- Bunge: Since 2013, Bunge has saved approximately 10,000 metric tonnes of marine fuel by running 25% of its fleet at slower speeds. It is also looking to accelerate industry collaboration to create a transparent global emissions index to inform transport industry decision-making as well as incentivising the building and use of more fuel efficient ships.
- Cargill: The company has committed to using the RightShip Green Rankings system in its vessel selection process and will only charter vessels that meet particular efficiency ratings levels. By using this alongside other environmental innovation practices, Cargill is averaging significant emission reductions.
“Including a consideration of eco efficiency rates within the tender process enables a more holistic assessment of tender responses”, commented Carol Routledge, Global Sustainability Manager, AkzoNobel. “It helps us to ensure that data on the environmental impact of the shipping services purchased is given due weight, alongside other considerations such as the financial impact of choices made.”
Maersk Line has also received burgeoning interest from customers enquiring about the social and environmental impacts of its operations. Today, up to 19% of its customers are requesting sustainability information as part of their contracted relationship with the company. In addition to a broad, measured strategy that aligns sustainability with business materiality, Maersk Line has been working closely with the Clean Cargo Working Group to develop a mainstream methodology to measure and report on carbon emissions.
Signe Bruun Jensen, Head of Sustainability, Maersk Line said: “We are keen to collaborate with first-movers to accelerate the development, promotion and adoption of best practices for integrating sustainability into logistics and procurement strategies as ultimately we believe that this will benefit our business, our customers and the industry as a whole.”
The SSI anticipates that charterers’ sustainability and procurement processes will become increasingly interlinked, but that challenges remain in terms of ensuring this integration is smooth and mutually beneficial. The organisation emphasises that greater global standardisation across ship ratings schemes and the measurement parameters for CO2, SOx and NOx emissions could help to drive greater transparency, efficiency and more consistent benchmarking for future improvements. In recognition of these factors, all SSI members have signed up to a series of measurable shared commitments which include aspects such as implementing a sustainability strategy that aligns with its core business goals as well as setting out clear reduction targets on environmental issues that are material to their businesses.
Alastair Fischbacher, Director, The Sustainable Shipping Initiative concluded: “Charterers will play an increasingly significant role in defining how the shipping industry integrates sustainability into strategy and operations. Demonstrating how shipping can strengthen, not compromise, their customers’ supply chains is a powerful commercial tool and drives home the business imperative for carriers to embrace sustainable practices. By doing so, the industry as a whole can raise its game.”
The SSI presented further insights into this topic earlier this month at the Capital Link 4th Annual Shipping and Offshore CSR Forum in London, including case studies from SSI members. A summary paper on the subject is also available to download here (https://sustainableshipping.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/SSI_SustainableShipper_final-041114.pdf).
ENDS
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 members of over 19 companies represent ship owners and charterers, shipbuilders, engineers and service providers, banking, insurance, and classification societies. Member companies include Maersk Line, Wartsila, Rio Tinto, Bunge, Cargill, Carnival, ABN AMRO, AkzoNobel and Unilever.
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.
For media enquiries please contact:
Amanda Lyons
BLUE Communications
T: +44 (0)771 100 8624
E: Amanda.lyons@blue-comm.com