Report to Address Shipping Sustainability

Key initiatives and solutions to be shared at Sustainable Shipping Initiative’s milestone conference on 26th September in Singapore.

The Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI), a coalition of shipping leaders from around the world, is about to release the SSI Progress Report: A Case For More Action, an update report on sustainable shipping at its upcoming milestone conference in Singapore on 26 September 2013.

The four SSI workstreams, which will all provide updates in the report and at the industry event in Singapore, are namely in the realms of,

1.    Financing sustainability shipping – “Save As You Sail”
2.    Energy technology
3.    Closed loop materials management (CLMM)
4.    Sustainable shipping rating schemes (benchmarking)

The report which focuses specifically on initiatives to finance sustainable shipping and accelerate uptake of technology, discusses the progress of studies made about the following proposed solutions:

Save As You Sail financial model – a set of financial mechanisms that will give the wider industry faster access to the technology available, and ensure that the most important new innovations are supported.

• Mass uptake of combined voyage optimisation technique – the widespread uptake of step change technologies and operational techniques that will reduce ship energy consumption and dramatically cut greenhouse gas emissions.
• Closed loop materials management work stream – to encourage end-to-end responsibility and accountability for the social and environmental impacts of ship building materials, from the way they are sourced through to construction methods and recycling processes.
• Guidance resource for sustainable shipping ratings schemes – to improve the uptake of beyond-compliance sustainability rating schemes by shipping customers, charterers and other parties.

The report will also outline plans for next steps. Additionally there will be a bank of case studies. These will consist of lessons from leaders with regards to how one can take organisational action towards sustainability.

“These initiatives are just some of SSI’s early efforts in striving to accelerate the process of making shipping more sustainable and to make sustainability the norm,” said Ms Helle Gleie, SSI director. “SSI has encountered weighty challenges but with our members and other industry players really rallying together to be smart and diligent in collaborative efforts, we can speed towards our Vision 2040 goal.”

“It is increasingly recognised by players in the shipping industry that sustainability is an important success factor, others financial and informational barriers, although amongst, still need to be addressed,” said Gust Biesbroeck, head of transportation of SSI-member ABN AMRO. “We believe that the industry will benefit from SSI's efforts, which is why ABN AMRO is keen to be a part of it.”

The full progress report of practical outputs of the four workstreams, report on progress against the 2040 Vision and announcement of future plans for 2013 – 2014 will occur at the upcoming industry event on 26 September 2013 in Singapore. Ship-owners, charterers, operators, shipbuilders, engineers, marine financiers and supply chain managers from around the world will gather at the conference, registration for which is available at ssi2040.org/events/singapore.