5 April 2022 – On 23-24 March SSI members and trustees met in person for the first time since October 2019. Kindly hosted by Lloyd’s Register onboard the HQS Wellington in London, members, trustees and guests came together to reflect on progress over the past two years, celebrate collective achievements, and learn from one another as we continue working toward a sustainable shipping industry.

A group of people standing on the deck of the HQS Wellington moored on the Thames, smiling at the camera
SSI Members Meeting hosted by Lloyd's Register in London, March 2022

We were joined by guests from ARUP and Resilience Shift, the Port of London Authority, Safetytech Accelerator, and Watson Farley & Williams. Each speaker focused on different aspects of sustainability, and we discussed, among other topics: port resilience, cold ironing, biodiversity, improving seafarer safety and wellbeing through technology, as well as green corridors and emerging industry collaborations in this area.

SSI’s Executive Director Andrew Stephens also provided an overview of SSI’s current work: Decarbonisation: Sustainability criteria for marine fuels, Delivering on seafarers’ rights, Ship lifecycle: Exploring shipping’s transition to a circular industry, and the Ship Recycling Transparency Initiative (SRTI) ahead of a strategy update workshop later in the day with members and trustees. SSI is currently engaged in a strategy update progress expected to be completed in May 2022.

Host and SSI member Lloyd’s Register also presented the Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub and its mission to accelerate the sustainable decarbonisation of the maritime industry, by enabling the delivery and operation of safe, technically feasible and commercially viable zero-emission vessels by 2030. They shared their Zero-Carbon Fuel Monitor which looks at fuel readiness across three pillars: technology, investment, and community.

Two currently open consultations were pointed out by the guests for any who wished to give feedback: the UK Department for Transport’s Use of maritime shore power in the UK: call for evidence (open until 25 April 2022), and the Port of London Authority’s Thames Vision 2050 consultation (open until 30 April 2022).

A screenshot of a Powerpoint slide titled
Courtesy of the Lloyd's Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub. For more information, visit the Zero Carbon Fuel Monitor.
SSI members and trustees attend a workshop onboard the HQS Wellington. Everyone is facing away from the camera and looking at a whiteboard with post-it notes.
SSI members and trustees attend strategy workshop onboard the HQS Wellington, 24 March 2022

Members and trustees then got together for a strategy workshop, which used the framing question: How can SSI be a stronger catalyst in creating a sustainable and successful shipping industry in this crucial decade of action?

Facilitated by strategy consultant David Bent, the workshop brought together members and trustees around a number of exercises intended to reflect on the changing landscape of shipping sustainability, SSI’s role as a vehicle for change, and to develop a revised strategy that could be taken forward for testing throughout April. Members and trustees unable to join in person had the opportunity to join virtually at key points during the workshop to share their thoughts.

The meeting ended with a focus on the future, as members discussed potential work areas for the rest of 2022 and activity planning ahead of key events like COP27. As momentum grows for shipping sustainability, and in light of growing urgency as highlighted by yesterday’s IPCC report, we are always looking to engage with actors across the shipping value chain working toward the Roadmap to a sustainable shipping industry.

If you’d like to get in touch, email us at info@sustainableshipping.org.