Wellbeing of seafarers needs to be a priority to safeguard the future of the profession, according to new report

LONDON, 31 January 2024 – Issues such as illegal recruitment fees are negatively impacting the lives and wellbeing of seafarers and jeopardising the profession’s future, according to the latest annual progress report on seafarers’ rights.

The Delivering on Seafarers’ Rights Annual Progress Report, published by the Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB) and the Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI), is a comprehensive review of the challenges facing seafarers, the shipping industry’s efforts to address challenges, and recommendations for 2024.

The report covers topics including: attracting people to a seafaring career, illegal recruitment fees, corporate action on improving seafarer welfare, as well as an update on data from the RightShip Crew Welfare Self-Assessment Tool.

These issues significantly impact the lives and wellbeing of seafarers worldwide, making it even harder to attract the talent the industry needs to pursue careers at sea. The impact of welfare on recruitment and retention is a huge concern for shipping’s wider viability and sustainability. The prevalence of illegal recruitment fees poses a severe threat, exploiting seafarers, their families and communities, and undermining their rights.

The report shares insights from various organisations and stakeholder groups on the issues facing seafarers, as outlined in the Delivering on Seafarers’ Rights Code of Conduct, and brings together contributions from the International Seafarers Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN), Nautilus International, Oldendorff Carriers, Rio Tinto, RightShip, and Turtle.

For all the negatives, there has been progress. Leading shipping companies and charterers are working on a range of initiatives to enhance seafarer welfare, to improve standards and diversity on their ships and within their supply chains. Such efforts play a pivotal role in fostering a supportive and conducive environment for those working at sea, acknowledging their fundamental rights and basic needs.

Furthermore, a recorded increase in companies using the RightShip Crew Welfare Self-Assessment Tool signals a commitment to monitoring and improving industry standards, emphasising the importance of continuously evaluating and advancing the conditions and treatment of seafarers aboard vessels.

The report can be downloaded here: https://www.sustainableshipping.org/resources/delivering-on-seafarers-rights-2023-progress-report/

Steven Jones, CEO of the Sustainable Shipping Initiative, said: “This second Delivering on Seafarers’ Rights Annual Progress Report is vital reading for all in the industry. There is progress we can learn from, such as the ideas, innovation, and energy of companies who are investing and making sure their people and social needs are to the fore. However, it is clear that there is so much more to be done. We need to take these lessons and ensure they are not simply the domain of the good companies, we need to make sure there is no place for the bad to operate.”

Frances House, Special Advisor at IHRB, said: “We know the Maritime Labour Convention isn’t enough to prevent seafarers’ rights being undermined. Charterers and container cargo owners should encourage their shipping suppliers to comply with the Seafarers’ Rights Code of Conduct and use the self-assessment tool to improve their performance. This report is a positive sign that uptake of the Code of Conduct is increasing, but verification and transparency around compliance are the critical goals now.

– ENDS –

Notes to Editors

For more information, interviews or comment please contact Elizabeth Petit, Sustainable Shipping Initiative (e.petit@sustainableshipping.org) or Sam Simmons, IHRB (sam.simmons@ihrb.org).

About the Sustainable Shipping Initiative

The Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) is a member-led group of leaders catalysing change across the maritime ecosystem. Since 2010, SSI has brought together shipowners, operators and managers; cargo owners; classification societies; non-profits; and service providers to advance environmental, social and economic goals for a sustainable shipping industry.

www.sustainableshipping.org

About the Institute for Human Rights and Business

The Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB) is an international think-and-do tank with the mission to shape policy, advance practice, and strengthen accountability in order to make respect for human rights part of everyday business. IHRB works in various areas including Commodities, the Built Environment, Migrant Workers, Just Transition, and Oceans. IHRB’s Ocean and Human Rights Platform works specifically on shipping, ports and shipyards, aquaculture and fishing. The Ocean Platform focuses on the impacts of business activities on livelihoods and working conditions.

www.ihrb.org

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Industry seminar explores the potential of green steel in decarbonising shipping and shipbuilding

Seoul, 26 January 2024 – On Friday, January 26, 2024, Solutions for Our Climate (SFOC) and the Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) hosted a special industry seminar to discuss “Green Steel & Circularity: Role of Shipbuilding and Shipping Industries for Carbon Neutrality”. The seminar convened shipping, shipbuilding, and steel industry stakeholders, with speakers from Lloyd’s Register, Schneider Electric Korea, SFOC, Steel Scrap Research Center, and SSI sharing their expertise on decarbonisation and corporate climate leadership.

Joojin Kim, CEO of SFOC, and Steven Jones, CEO of SSI, opened the seminar, which brought together over 100 industry stakeholders, both in person and online. It provided a unique platform for leaders from steel, shipbuilding, and shipping sectors to convene and foster a shared understanding of decarbonisation challenges, while exploring collaborative solutions to address steel emissions.

Shipping and steel industries’ decarbonisation is interrelated, and South Korea plays a pivotal role in both. In 2021, South Korea was ranked as the world’s 6th largest steel-producing country, accounting for a 3.8% share of crude steel global production (corresponding to 71.4 million tonnes of crude and steel). Additionally, the South Korean steel industry is an important material supplier for major industries, including shipbuilding – South Korean shipbuilding accounted for nearly 30% of global shipbuilding in 2022. Haebin Gahng, Senior Researcher at SFOC, highlighted how decarbonising the steel sector will require policy support, such as easing waste regulations to facilitate the import of scrap steel (in force since January 2024), cross-industry cooperation between demand and supply sectors, and the use of technology to improve steelmaking and scrap sorting.

As the steel sector decarbonises, there will be increasing competition for the supply of high-quality recycled scrap steel. Andreea Miu, Head of Decarbonisation at the SSI, highlighted key points from the Green Steel and Shipping report, published by SSI in 2023. The report illuminates the synergies between shipping and steel’s decarbonisation efforts with a focus on the potential for green steel in shipping and steel circularity. Ship recycling is a vital source of scrap steel, with volumes expected to grow in the coming years as the global fleet transitions in line with shipping’s decarbonisation. Andreea highlighted the untapped potential for shipping within this space – as a demand sector for steel, shipping can show demand for green steel with work with others to create a market and secure future supply.

Se-Jun Kim, New Construction Product Manager at Lloyd’s Register, discussed the increased pressure that companies are facing from regulators, finance, and other stakeholders to measure and reduce Scope 3 emissions. Shipping needs to widen its decarbonisation efforts beyond fuel emissions to include embedded emissions, such as during shipbuilding where steel plates contribute significantly.

A dynamic 45-minute hybrid panel discussion brought out valuable insights from industry actors Kyungsik Kim, Head of the Steel Scrap Research Center, Hemy Bae, Manager of Sustainability Strategy Consulting at Schneider Electric Korea, and Se-Jun Kim, New Construction Product Manager at Lloyd’s Register. With South Korea as a focus, panellists explored the challenges and opportunities for inventive green steel production, the use of scrap steel, and the uptake of green steel by the shipbuilding sector.

Key points from the panel discussion include:

  • Emerging policies and regulations on lifecycle emissions indicate a growing trend
  • Need for improvements within the steel sector to make domestic scrap steel more accessible and attractive.
  • Scrap steels’ potential to reduce the energy-intensity of steel production, overcoming current limitations around green hydrogen supply.
  • South Korea’s unique position as a key market for both steelmaking and shipbuilding, leading to competitiveness benefits.

 

The industry seminar fostered a shared understanding of decarbonisation opportunities in both primary and secondary production of steel, the role of scrap steel, and the relevance of green steel for shipping. It aimed to raise awareness and build momentum for collaborative efforts among shipping and steel value chain stakeholders, encouraging win-win cooperation for decarbonisation.

 

Quotes

Hemy Bae, Sustainability Strategy Consulting, Schneider Electric Korea: “Lifecycle assessment is unfamiliar to us yet, but policies regulating the lifecycle emissions have already started. The EU is already implementing lifecycle-based CO2 standards for new cars and vans, and recently officialised the EU Battery regulation which obligates battery makers to account and declare a product’s carbon footprint throughout the lifecycle from 2025. The issue is that these regulations are not only applied to European companies, but all products imported to Europe. The scope of lifecycle emissions regulation will be further expanded to broader sectors such as electronics in the future. The shipbuilding industry should be aware of this trend and be prepared considering the sector is quite carbon intensive”

Haebin Gahng, Senior Researcher, Solutions for Our Climate (SFOC): “Until innovative decarbonization technology is commercialized, the Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) will drive the decarbonization of the steel sector. Therefore, a global competition for securing steel scrap is anticipated. To increase the domestic procurement rate of steel scrap in Korea, where steel accumulation is low and import dependency is high, it is necessary to establish a circular economy system throughout the entire lifecycle of steel, from production to disposal. Nurturing a small-scale scrap industry and promoting cross-sectoral cooperation between steel producers and consumer industries could be viable approaches in this regard.”

Steven Jones, CEO, Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI): “Together, we are united by our vision to drive action for a sustainable shipping industry. We recognise that addressing the systemic issues we face today requires collaborative efforts to maximise impact, and the focus on green steel and shipping is part of that. Shipping scraps high quality steel and should demand green steel in return. But production barriers, availability and quality perceptions remain. Pioneering commitments from industry leaders will promote wider adoption, but collaboration is crucial. The link between our industries highlights the urgent requirement for combined efforts to cut emissions and transition to circular business models.”

Joojin Kim, CEO, Solutions for Our Climate (SFOC): “South Korea has the world’s sixth-largest steel industry and has the third-largest steel consuming industry. Last year, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy established a plan to build an ecosystem for the steel scrap industry, develop the world’s first hydrogen fluidized bed reactor technology, and complete the value chain for steel for future green ships. In order to implement these plans, the government needs to strengthen cooperation between shipping and shipbuilding industries. I hope that today’s event will serve as an opportunity for the Korean steel, shipbuilding, and shipping industries to come together to discuss decarbonization and resource circulation in their respective industries, and how they can enhance their domestic and global competitiveness while responding to the climate crisis.”

Kyungsik Kim, Head, Steel Scrap Research Center: “To foster a sustainable society, prioritizing resource recycling is essential. The most significant example is steel scrap; by utilizing it, you reduce the CO2 emission intensity of the produced steel. Government support is needed to increase the scrap collection rate and its utilization. From a steelmakers’ perspective, delivering high-quality steel at an affordable cost and on time is crucial, underscoring that a stable and cost-effective steel scrap supply chain is required to reach steel decarbonization.”

Se-Jun Kim, New Construction Product Manager, Lloyd’s Register: When it comes to the ship construction stage, the largest source of GHG emission is coming from steel plates. The industry and regulators now focus on measures to reduce GHG emissions from the operation of a ship, and this will result in the reduction of GHG emissions gradually. The next focus will be on steel plates. In the near future, the supply chain and distribution chain will drive the transition from alternative fuels to green steel as the upcoming trend.”

Andreea Miu, Head of Decarbonisation, SSI: “The steel sector is both a buyer of shipping services as well as a supplier of steel for shipbuilding. The opportunity for emission reduction when shipping and steel work together is huge, with recent research estimating that shipping could save nearly 800MtCO2 cumulative emissions by 2050 by progressively adopting green steel. South Korea, responsible for 30% of global shipbuilding in 2022 as well as the 6th largest steel producer worldwide has a crucial role to play in supporting the simultaneous sustainability transition of these industries, and we look forward to continued progress and leadership to achieve zero emission by the middle of this century.”

— ENDS —

 

Notes to Editors

For more information, interviews or comment please contact Elizabeth Petit, Head of Communications & Partnerships, Sustainable Shipping Initiative (e.petit@sustainableshipping.org).

Or Jinny Kim, International Communications Lead, Solutions for Our Climate (euijin.kim@forourclimate.org).

SSI’s “Green Steel and Shipping” report is available for download here: https://www.sustainableshipping.org/resources/green-steel-and-shipping/

A complete summary of the event is available here: https://www.sustainableshipping.org/news/events/green-steel-circularity-role-of-shipbuilding-and-shipping-industries-for-carbon-neutrality/

About the Sustainable Shipping Initiative

The Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) is a member-led group of leaders catalysing change across the maritime ecosystem. Since 2010, SSI has brought together shipowners, operators and managers; banks and financial stakeholder; cargo owners; classification societies; non-profits; ports; and service providers to advance environmental, social and economic goals for a sustainable shipping industry.

www.sustainableshipping.org

About Solutions for Our Climate

Solutions for Our Climate (SFOC) is a nonprofit organization established in 2016 for more effective climate action and energy transition based in Seoul, South Korea. SFOC is led by legal, economic, financial and environmental experts with experience in energy and climate policy and works closely with domestic and international players.

www.forourclimate.org


A photo taken at the in-person Green Steel and Circularity event taking place in Seoul, 26 January 2024. The photo is of a screen where a slide is being presented, alongside Andreea Miu of SSI joining the event as a virtual speaker. The slide describes focus areas for decarbonising the steel sector and defining green steel.

Green Steel & Circularity: Role of Shipbuilding and Shipping Industries for Carbon Neutrality

On Friday, January 26, 2024, Solutions for Our Climate (SFOC) and the Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) held a special industry seminar in Seoul to discuss the linkages between steel decarbonisation pathways and the use of green steel in the shipbuilding and shipping sectors.

The seminar created an opportunity for stakeholders from the steel, shipbuilding, and shipping sectors to meet and build a shared understanding of the decarbonisation challenge and the potential for mutually beneficial collaboration in addressing steel emissions.

Opening remarks

Founder and CEO of SFOC, Joojin Kim, opened the event by highlighting the severity of the climate crisis, as 2023 was another record-breaking year in terms of heat waves, forest fires, and floods. He emphasised the need for industrial sector emissions to be addressed as part of global efforts to avoid the worst impacts of the climate crisis, and called for collaboration between stakeholders – across government, steelmaking, and shipping and shipbuilding – to create a stable green steel value chain.

He said: “South Korea has the world’s sixth-largest steel industry and the leads the shipbuilding industry, which is the third-largest steel consuming industry. Last year, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy established a plan to build an ecosystem for steel scrap industry, develop the world’s first hydrogen fluidized bed reactor technology, and complete the value chain for steel for future green ships. In order to implement these plans, the government needs to strengthen close cooperation with the shipping and shipbuilding industries. I hope that today’s event will serve as an opportunity for the Korean steel, shipbuilding, and shipping industries to come together to discuss decarbonization and resource circulation in their respective industries, and how they can enhance their domestic and global competitiveness while responding to the climate crisis.

CEO of SSI, Steven Jones, followed with a message calling for active engagement and collaboration among stakeholders to address the knowledge gaps in shipping’s use of green steel, bringing together technical expertise, policy mechanisms, and industry ambition to drive transformation.

He said: “Together, we are united by our vision to drive action for a sustainable shipping industry. We recognise that addressing the systemic issues we face today requires collaborative efforts to maximise impact, and the focus on green steel and shipping is part of that. Shipping scraps high quality steel and should demand green steel in return. But production barriers, availability and quality perceptions remain. Pioneering commitments from industry leaders will promote wider adoption, but collaboration is crucial. The link between our industries highlights the urgent requirement for combined efforts to cut emissions and transition to circular business models.

South Korean steel decarbonisation and the role of steel scrap

Haebin Gahng, Senior Researcher at SFOC, then gave a presentation on the state of steel decarbonisation in South Korea. The highlighted the role of the Korean steel industry as an important material supplier for major industries, including shipbuilding – South Korean shipbuilding accounted for nearly 30% of global shipbuilding in 2022. South Korea is the 6th largest steel-producing country worldwide, accounting for 3.8% of global production in 2021 (corresponding to 71.4 million tonnes of crude steel).

She said: “Until innovative decarbonization technology is commercialized, the Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) will drive the decarbonization of the steel sector. Therefore, a global competition for securing steel scrap is anticipated. To increase the domestic procurement rate of steel scrap in Korea, where steel accumulation is low and import dependency is high, it is necessary to establish a circular economy system throughout the entire lifecycle of steel, from production to disposal. Nurturing a small-scale scrap industry and promoting cross-sectoral cooperation between steel producers and consumer industries could be viable approaches in this regard.”

In addition to this, she pointed to the need for policy support, such as easing waste regulation to facilitate import of scrap steel (in force since January 2024); cross-industry cooperation between demand and supply sectors (e.g. shipbuilders and steelmakers); as well as use of technology to improve steelmaking and scrap sorting.

Green steel for green shipping

Andreea Miu, Head of Decarbonisation at the SSI, introduced SSI’s work on the topic of green steel and shipping. This work has identified the links between the two sectors’ decarbonisation efforts and the potential of steel as an entry point to greater circularity in shipping.

She said: “The steel sector is both a buyer of shipping services as well as a supplier of steel for shipbuilding. The opportunity for emission reduction when shipping and steel work together is huge, with recent research estimating that shipping could save nearly 800MtCO2 cumulative emissions by 2050 by progressively adopting green steel. South Korea, responsible for 30% of global shipbuilding in 2022 as well as the 6th largest steel producer worldwide has a crucial role to play in supporting the simultaneous sustainability transition of these industries, and we look forward to continued progress and leadership to achieve zero emission by the middle of this century.

The presentation outlined the following necessary next steps:

  • Marine grade green steel needs to be widely understood and promoted by classification societies, working in tandem with shipbuilding yards to raise awareness of the possibilities for green steel in shipping.
  • Shipping can act as a green steel demand sector to show demand, and work with others to create a market and secure future supply.
  • Understanding how tracking, verification, and assurance of GHG emissions savings, and sustainability benefits associated with green steel can work, both within shipping and broadly for steel demand sectors.
  • Material flows for steel at end-of-life with a focus on high-quality uses in regions with current or potential ship recycling industries.

A brief Q&A with the audience discussed the applicability of the Extended Producer Responsibility concept and called for reflection on how such a concept would apply to the complex vessel landscape, as well as the value of traceability through something like a digital product passport, drawing comparisons to the existing Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM). In addition to this, there was agreement that the global landscape for the steelmaking, shipbuilding and ship recycling sectors may change in the long term, creating new markets and dynamics that could alter the way we think about green steel for shipping.

A photo taken at the in-person Green Steel and Circularity event taking place in Seoul, 26 January 2024. The photo is of a screen where a slide is being presented, alongside Andreea Miu of SSI joining the event as a virtual speaker. The slide describes focus areas for decarbonising the steel sector and defining green steel.

Lifecycle Assessment of a ship: LCA study presentation

Se-Jun Kim, New Construction Product Manager at Lloyd’s Register, brought concrete experience to the discussion as he shared learnings from a Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) study. Se-Jun Kim’s presentation focused on Scope 3 emissions – indirect value chain emissions – which are not only often the most significant but also the most challenging to measure, as they are outside of a company’s direct scope of influence. However, the trend is moving toward increased pressure from regulators, finance, and other stakeholders to request that these emissions be measured and reduced, thus creating incentives for organisations to begin understanding and addressing Scope 3.

He emphasised that the current priority from a ship lifecycle perspective remains the fuel emissions, which make up the majority of lifecycle GHG emissions for a ship. However, at the shipbuilding stage, steel plates are a key source of emissions to address. He said: “When it comes to the ship construction stage, the largest source of GHG emission is coming from steel plates. The industry and regulators now focus on measures to reduce GHG emissions from the operation of a ship, and this will result in the reduction of GHG emissions gradually. The next focus will be on steel plates. In the near future, the supply chain and distribution chain will drive the transition from alternative fuels to green steel as the upcoming trend.”

Panel discussion: In conversation with industry

Finally, a 45-minute panel gave participants a chance to engage in a dynamic discussion between industry actors, consisting of:

  • Kyungsik Kim, Head of the Steel Scrap Research Center
  • Hemy Bae, Manager, Sustainability Strategy Consulting at Schneider Electric Korea
  • Se-Jun Kim, New Construction Product Manager at Lloyd’s Register

The panel, moderated by Heather Lee, Steel Lead at SFOC, focused on how to build an environment that fosters green steel production, use of steel scrap, and uptake by the shipbuilding sector as a steel consumer. With a focus on South Korea, panellists shared their experience of the challenges and opportunities to incentivising green steel from a technical, business, and regulatory perspective.

Learnings were also shared from other sectors, with reflections from Hemy Bae on emerging policy instruments to measure and regulate lifecycle emissions for sectors such as automotive in the European Union. She said: “Lifecycle assessment is unfamiliar to us yet, but policies regulating the lifecycle emissions have already started. The EU is already implementing lifecycle-based CO2 standards for new cars and vans, and recently officialised the EU Battery regulation which obligates battery makers to account and declare a product’s carbon footprint throughout the lifecycle from 2025. The issue is that these regulations are not only applied to European companies, but all products imported to Europe. The scope of lifecycle emissions regulation will be further expanded to broader sectors such as electronics in the future. The shipbuilding industry should be aware of this trend and be prepared considering the sector is quite carbon intensive.

Kyungsik Kim pointed to the 1% recovery rate for domestic scrap steel in Korea, whilst at the same time there is significant demand for scrap which is imported at higher costs. He called for improvements in the sector to make it more efficient as well as cheaper, making scrap more attractive as well as accessible for steelmakers. He noted that “To foster a sustainable society, prioritizing resource recycling is essential. The most significant example is steel scrap; by utilizing it, you reduce the CO2 emission intensity of the produced steel. Government support is needed to increase the scrap collection rate and its utilization. From a steelmakers’ perspective, delivering high-quality steel at an affordable cost and on time is crucial, underscoring that a stable and cost-effective steel scrap supply chain is required to reach steel decarbonization.”

A key part of the discussion among panellists was the challenge of green hydrogen supply which limits the potential for green steel production through renewable energy use. Instead, Hemy Bae shared a reflection on the potential of steel production through increased scrap content where the energy mix does not currently allow for renewable energy use in activities as energy-intensive as steelmaking. She further reflected on the lack of technical knowledge and expertise across industries around the practicalities of scrap steel use, with concerns about quality and impurities, as well as the need for infrastructure to sort and re-process scrap steel, removing impurities and ensuring better quality-retention.

Se-Jun Kim and Kyungsik Kim both pointed to competitiveness and the benefits South Korea enjoys due to its unique position as a key market for both steelmaking and shipbuilding. Se-Jun Kim discussed the view that future competitiveness will not only focus on commercial and quality aspects but will also focus on environmental aspects, creating an opportunity for South Korea to further strengthen its competitiveness in the shipbuilding market by catering to this need.

The audience Q&A focused on the stakeholder landscape and who bears the responsibility and the cost of using green steel, with panellists agreeing that in any category, such products would bear a higher price to the end user.

Thank you to all event participants who took part, in person or online, to make this event a success. If you have any questions, or wish to get in touch with the organisers, please reach out to Kate Kalinova, kate.kalinova@forourclimate.org or to Andreea Miu, a.miu@sustainableshipping.org.

 

About Solutions for Our Climate

Solutions for Our Climate (SFOC) is a nonprofit organization established in 2016 for more effective climate action and energy transition based in Seoul, South Korea. SFOC is led by legal, economic, financial and environmental experts with experience in energy and climate policy and works closely with domestic and international players.

www.forourclimate.org

About the Sustainable Shipping Initiative

The Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) is a member-led group of leaders catalysing change across the maritime ecosystem. Since 2010, SSI has brought together shipowners, operators and managers; banks and financial stakeholder; cargo owners; classification societies; non-profits; ports; and service providers to advance environmental, social and economic goals for a sustainable shipping industry.

www.sustainableshipping.org


Research programme to help maritime industry stakeholders improve sustainability performance

New Sustainable Shipping Initiative programme funded by Lloyd’s Register Foundation will provide sustainability insights to accelerate transformation across the maritime ecosystem.

LONDON, 29 January 2024 – The Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) today announces the launch of the State of Sustainable Shipping (SoSS) programme, funded by Lloyd’s Register Foundation. The SoSS programme builds on the Roadmap to a Sustainable Shipping Industry, by providing comprehensive and timely insights into progress made against six vision areas: Oceans, Communities, People, Transparency, Finance, and Energy.

The SoSS programme will use a mix of digital, research, and strategic foresight methods to track and challenge the maritime industry’s sustainability performance, accelerating progress by sharing knowledge, identifying transformative pathways, and enabling more effective decision-making by maritime value chain actors. The SoSS programme amplifies the relevance of the Roadmap, which was co-created with industry as a ‘call-to-action’ in response to the complexity of the global challenges faced today. The Roadmap defines tangible milestones to be collectively achieved in the coming decades to build a sustainable maritime sector.

Founded in 2010, SSI has spent the last decade working on expanding the definition of sustainability in the shipping sector, pioneering on issues such as transparency in ship recycling, seafarers’ welfare, sustainable marine fuels, green steel, and the need for shipping’s transition to be just and equitable.

Ram Ganesh Kamatham, Project Manager at the Sustainable Shipping Initiative, said: “The Sustainable Shipping Initiative has a track record of inspiring and influencing maritime transformation, being an early mover on identifying and engaging emerging sustainability issues. With the support of Lloyd’s Register Foundation, the State of Sustainable Shipping (SoSS) programme will continue to catalyse change by providing actionable insights to business decision-makers navigating their sustainability journeys.

Olivia Swift, Senior Programme Manager at Lloyd’s Register Foundation, said: “In order to accelerate shipping’s progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, we need to provide organisations with the information they need to mitigate safety and sustainability threats. The Sustainable Shipping Initiative is providing unrivalled leadership in defining sustainable shipping, and through this new partnership and other research projects, we’re helping create a systematic plan towards achieving it.”

Access to the data from the programme will allow maritime stakeholders to prioritise investments effectively and encourage systemic change on the most pressing safety and sustainability issues facing the international shipping community.

This new grant builds on an existing and successful relationship between the organisations. The Engineering X Safer End of Engineered Life programme, founded by the Royal Academy of Engineering and Lloyd’s Register Foundation, also provided funding for the Ship Recycling Transparency Initiative, then hosted by the SSI, through a two-year grant in 2020. In 2022, Lloyd’s Register Foundation provided funding for the first SEAFAIRER roundtable, arranged in collaboration with the Institute for Human Rights and Business and Mission to Seafarers.

More recently the Lloyd’s Register Foundation and SSI co-hosted an official side event at COP28 titled ‘Staying on Course for 1.5: Africa’s Role in Accelerating Shipping’s Green Transition’. In addition, SSI partnered with LR Maritime Decarbonisation Hub, a joint initiative between Lloyd’s Register Foundation and Lloyd’s Register, and UMAS to conduct an analysis that estimated potential CO₂ emissions savings from progressive adoption of steel with lower embodied emissions by the shipping industry.

Founded in 2010, SSI has spent the last decade working on expanding the definition of sustainability in the shipping sector, pioneering on issues such as transparency in ship recycling, seafarers’ welfare, sustainable marine fuels, green steel, and the need for shipping’s transition to be just and equitable. Lloyd’s Register is a founding member of SSI.

– ENDS –

Notes to Editors

About the Sustainable Shipping Initiative

The Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) is a member-led group of leaders catalysing change across the maritime ecosystem. Since 2010, SSI has brought together shipowners, operators and managers; banks and financial stakeholder; cargo owners; classification societies; non-profits; ports; and service providers to advance environmental, social and economic goals for a sustainable shipping industry.

www.sustainableshipping.org

About Lloyd’s Register Foundation 

Lloyd’s Register Foundation is an independent global charity that supports research, innovation, and education to make the world a safer place. Its mission is to use the best evidence and insight to help the global community focus on tackling the world’s most pressing safety and risk challenges. For more information, please visit www.lrfoundation.org.uk


GRI Biodiversity Standard

Progress against milestone 4.2030.5

Sustainability performance data is audited, validated and made publicly available.

January 26, 2024

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) published GRI 101:Biodiversity 2024 to support organisations comprehensively disclose their impacts on biodiversity throughout their operations and value chain.

GRI 101 is free to download and will be formally in effect for reporting on 1 January 2026.


Ship.Energy Podcast: Steven Jones, CEO, Sustainable Shipping Initiative

Steven Jones returns to the ship.energy podcast this week to discuss the strategic priorities of the Sustainable Shipping Initiative. As its recently appointed CEO, Steven explains how this multi-stakeholder collective is combining policy research with positive actions that its members can make within key focus areas: Oceans, Communities, People, Transparency, Finance, and Energy.

Steven and ship.energy contributing editor Mark Williams discuss the increasing transparency requirement for shipping companies, particularly in regard to fuel decisions and emissions reporting, and the role that digitalisation is having in pushing the transparency agenda.

They also address the conversations at COP28, and Steven answers the question, does the shipping industry actually need a phase out date for fossil fuels to focus activity?

Steven Jones brings over 30 years of maritime industry expertise to his role as Chief Executive Officer of the Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI). A former seafarer, Steven has worked across maritime fraud investigations, insurance, Vessel Traffic Services (VTS), and maritime security. He leveraged this frontline experience in roles with the UK Government as a specialist in services, ports and technology, and is the Founder of the Seafarers Happiness Index.

He is motivated by a passion for the sea and a desire to highlight the vital role that seaborne trade, transport, and infrastructure play in connecting the global economy. He believes in promoting sustainability and innovation to ensure the maritime sector continues enabling prosperity worldwide.

He has expertise in low/zero carbon fuels, their production pathways, energy efficiency / emission abatement techniques, emission inventorying, life cycle assessment and the policies regulating the maritime sector. Above all, he’s passionate about decarbonising the maritime sector.


Reflections from the SSI Member Meeting in Singapore

19 December 2023 – SSI members and guests gathered in Singapore on 29-30 November for an in-person member meeting hosted by Wilhelmsen Ship Management. For two days, members had the opportunity to learn about each other’s work, catch up on SSI projects, and engage in interactive discussions to set the agenda for SSI in 2024. We also welcomed our newest member, Jotun, to the group.

This member meeting also marked a shift for SSI’s leadership, as we said goodbye to outgoing Executive Director Andrew Stephens, who has led SSI since 2018, and welcomed incoming CEO Steven Jones.

Anchorage visit

Day 1 began with a visit to the Wilhelmsen Ship Service warehouse and an anchorage visit, giving everyone an up-close look at the vessels and prompting reflections on the concrete impact that sustainability initiatives can have – from improving seafarer wellbeing onboard to ensuring that the next generation of vessels incorporates circularity principles.

Reflections on 2023

Members were updated on the work undertaken in 2023 and progress on all the working groups, and discussed continued work into 2024 and how to maximise SSI’s impact.

Highlights:

  • The Green Steel and Shipping report, published in June this year and followed by a launch event at London International Shipping Week. Feedback on the report has been positive, and there’s appetite to continue exploring the opportunities and challenges of using zero emission materials for shipbuilding.
  • The SEAFAIRER roundtable convened seafarers, shipowners, managers and NGOs to spotlight various human rights and welfare issues and explore how the Delivering on seafarers’ rights Code of Conduct and self-assessment questionnaire (SAQ) have facilitated progress. The roundtable will feed into work, in collaboration with SSI members IHRB and RightShip, to update the SAQ.
  • The State of Sustainable Shipping (SoSS) programme has strengthened SSI’s relationship with the Royal College of Arts (RCA) and World Maritime University (WMU). With funding secured, the SoSS programme is gearing up for rapid progress. In 2024, horizon-scanning activities, akin to those showcased in the 2023 in-person member meetings, will be implemented to track emerging issues and guide rolling updates to the Roadmap to a sustainable shipping industry.

  • Partnering for impact has scaled up significantly in 2023, bringing in external expertise and working together to advance the sustainability agenda for the shipping sector. Leading up to COP28, SSI was involved in three projects:

Industry and member insights

SSI member meetings also provide an opportunity to discuss topics with external experts, as well as for members to present new initiatives and exciting sustainability work that they’re undertaking.

Increasing gender diversity onboard

We hosted a panel on increasing gender diversity onboard, moderated by Forum for the Future’s Cynthia Morel, with participation from ISWAN’s Georgia Allen, Swire Shipping’s Lydia Pavlova, and WISTA Singapore’s Maike Brinckman.

Panellists highlighted research on gender diversity onboard:

Discussions centred around the need for diversity to be considered broadly, with the ultimate goal being to provide a safe, inclusive environment onboard for everyone. In addition to this, the importance of challenging conscious and sub-conscious biases and attitudes was highlighted.

Member Insights

This year’s insights highlighted the diversity of SSI’s membership across the value chain, as we heard presentations on alternative fuels, energy efficiency on board, ship repair, and ship recycling.

Lloyd’s Register kickstarted the focus on decarbonisation by sharing their future of maritime fuels report, presenting a wide range of fuel mix projections to inform shipping stakeholders of potential future scenarios, as well as their Zero Carbon Fuel Monitor. Beyond fuels, decarbonising shipping also relies on increasing efficiency throughout the vessel lifecycle. Klaveness Combination Carriers (who will host the next in-person member meeting in Oslo next March) shared their approach to energy efficiency technologies, from the no-lose to the more complex, and their efforts to build efficiency measures into existing as well as future vessels. Swire Shipping also shared their work on designing, building, and operating an energy-efficient vessel, discussing technical measures such as CDF modelling, Energy Saving Devices (ESDs) and a range of performance improvements that can be conducted in dock.

Priya Blue and IMC focused on ship repair and ship recycling, underscoring the significance of a systemic approach to sustainability. Their discussions went beyond environmental initiatives, delving into the vital importance of workers’ rights within shipyards.

SSI members gather in Singapore for the member meeting, hosted by Wilhelmsen Ship Management.

2024

It won’t be long until the next member meeting, which will take place in March, hosted by Klaveness Combination Carriers. In the meantime, SSI’s work continues under the leadership of new CEO Steven Jones. 2024 will see a continued focus on the topics discussed here, and we look forward to a year filled with positive impact toward a sustainable shipping industry.


Jotun joins the Sustainable Shipping Initiative

LONDON, 18 December 2023 – Today, the Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) proudly welcomes the addition of Jotun as its newest member. Jotun will join a collective group of maritime stakeholders that are working together to drive and catalyse action towards a more sustainable shipping industry.

With nearly 100 years of experience of charting through unknown waters, Jotun is committed to continuously innovate and develop advanced products and solutions designed to protect biodiversity and cut carbon emissions to support global sustainability ambitions and achieve cleaner operations for all industry players.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jotun, one of the world's leading paints and coatings manufacturers, to the SSI family. Jotun’s commitment to quality and ongoing innovation, coupled with their expertise and fresh perspective, significantly enriches our diverse membership. This addition adds depth to our collective efforts toward a sustainable shipping industry,” says SSI CEO, Steven Jones. “We embrace their unique perspective and proven leadership in marine coatings, emphasizing the synergies between efficiency, decarbonisation, and the reduction of environmental impacts. Together, we can paint a brighter, cleaner future for our oceans and maritime sector.”

“We at Jotun are very excited to become a member of the SSI who have a creative and far-reaching outlook on the whole of the shipping ecosystem and beyond. We believe our goals align perfectly with theirs, not just looking at decarbonisation and future fuels but also clean oceans, ship lifecycles and green steel.” Says Jessica Doyle, Key Account Manager at Jotun.

As the first marine coating manufacturer member, Jotun will bring a new perspective to the SSI membership. Jotun’s work on marine coating highlights the importance of improving the longevity and performance of vessels, and how cleaner hulls not only enhance operational efficiency but also align with the broader objectives of reducing the shipping industry’s environmental footprint.

The Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) is a multi-stakeholder initiative that brings together leading organisations with shared goals and equal determination in improving the sustainability of the shipping industry in terms of social, environmental and economic impacts. Ranging from NGOs to shipowners, charterers, banks, and classification societies, SSI members work toward the milestones laid out in the Roadmap to a sustainable shipping industry.

- ENDS -

Notes to Editors

For more information, interviews or comment please contact Elizabeth Petit, Head of Communications & Partnerships, Sustainable Shipping Initiative (e.petit@sustainableshipping.org) and Cecilie Melberg, Global Communications Manager, Jotun, (Cecilie.skeie.melberg@jotun.com)

 

About the Sustainable Shipping Initiative

The Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) is a member-led group of leaders catalysing change across the maritime ecosystem. Since 2010, SSI has brought together shipowners, operators and managers; banks and financial stakeholder; cargo owners; classification societies; non-profits; ports; and service providers to advance environmental, social and economic goals for a sustainable shipping industry.

www.sustainableshipping.org

About Jotun

Jotun is one of the world's leading manufacturers of decorative paints, marine, protective and powder coatings. The Group has 67 companies and 40 production facilities globally, and over 10 200 employees. Jotun products are available in more than 100 countries through own subsidiaries, joint ventures, branch offices, dealers and distributors. The Jotun Group has its head office in Sandefjord, Norway.

https://www.jotun.com/ww-en

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A screenshot of the Race to Zero website, where this blog was original posted, showing an image of a container ship at port from above and accompanied by the title

Green steel in shipping: How international shipping can lower emissions through progressive adoption of green steel

This blog is originally posted and taken from the Climate Champions, UNFCCC, Race to Resilience blog. The original blog post can be accessed here.


Current efforts in international shipping’s decarbonization focus on fuel-related emissions, however huge reductions can be achieved by progressively switching to steel with lower embodied CO₂ emissions.

By Andreea Miu, Sustainable Shipping Initiative; Amelia Hipwell, Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub; and Marie Fricaudet, UMAS

The 2023 Breakthrough Agenda, the annual collaboration between the International Energy Agency (IEA), the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions, found that both total CO₂ emissions and direct CO₂ emission intensity from the steel sector need to fall by around 25 percent by 2030 to be on track for net zero by mid-century. This corresponds to a 3 percent decrease per year this decade. While the steel sector is not yet on track to meet international climate goals, collaboration in key areas, such as standards and regulation, financial and technical assistance, and market creation, can turbocharge the transition.

Shipping has a dual role to play in this transition – as a buyer of green steel for shipbuilding, containers and infrastructure, and as a supplier of steel scrap from ship recycling. Additionally, the shipping sector transports a big proportion of steel produced globally, impacting the steel industry’s scope 3 emissions. This further highlights the interconnectedness of the two sectors and the need for collaboration in strengthening their decarbonisation efforts.

Currently, “green steel” is used as a catch-all term for steel with lower embodied emissions with various definitions suggested by different institutions. Going forward, it is preferred that the steel sector agrees on a definition based on clear GHG emissions reduction thresholds that also considers environmental, social, and socio-economic sustainability aspects.

An analysis from Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub and UMAS found that international shipping could save 776MtCO₂ cumulative emissions between 2024 and 2050 by progressively adopting hot rolled steel with lower embodied carbon (i.e. produced through lower emission processes and material inputs). Hot rolled steel is highlighted in this analysis as the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) steel sector guidance currently covers steel in this condition, and hot rolled steel represents the majority (over 80 percent) of steel tonnage used for shipbuilding.

The analysis uses a forecast of the number and steel mass of newbuild ships likely to be built between 2024-2050, in line with expectations of growing demand, as well as achieving IMO GHG reduction ambitions.This is then used to estimate the potential CO₂ emissions savings that could be achieved if the majority of the hot rolled steel used had lower embodied emissions, in line with the trajectory set by the SBTi steel sector guidance.

Continuing with business as usual, where the aforementioned volume of hot rolled steel is produced based on current production methods, will result in the shipping sector indirectly contributing to the creation of 1.3GtCO₂ in the period to 2050.

In order to align with the SBTi steel sector guidance, the international shipping sector could demand that its newbuild ships are built using green steel based on clear GHG emissions reduction thresholds that also considers environmental, social, and socio-economic sustainability aspects.

Increasing green steel production requires action from both the steel sector and from its demand sectors, including shipping. Incentivising the use of green steel in shipping is critical to driving up demand, which in turn will incentivise increased production of green steel from steel producers. Furthermore, there is an expectation that interest in green steel will increase in the sector as shipowners begin to understand and explore ways to reduce their Scope 3 GHG emissions.

The 2023 Breakthrough Agenda recommends that demand sectors move beyond commitments and pledges to contracts and policies, alongside sharing procurement data, in order to strengthen demand signals to the steel sector. Collaboration is built on knowledge sharing and transparency, and it ensures that decision-making is based on accurate and equal information. The time for action is now – increasing collaboration between the shipping and steel sector will improve the understanding of the practical ways that green steel can become a reality for both industries.


Steven Jones

Steven Jones


Sustainable Shipping Initiative

Steven spent a decade working as a navigation officer in the merchant navy, primarily on cable ships. Ashore he has worked in marine fraud investigations, maritime security, and with the UK Department for Business and Trade. He is also the Founder of the Seafarers Happiness Index, a project with the Mission to Seafarers to address the concerns of crew and to ensure that the voice of those at sea is heard, good practices shared, and problems tackled. Steven is also the author of key maritime industry texts on Maritime Security, Piracy, Stowaways and Crime at Sea. He holds a BSc (Hons) in Maritime Studies, and Masters degrees in Marketing, Communications and Public Relations, and also International Relations.