While the voting procedure for the 2019 SAFETY4SEA Awards is open, David Bolduc, Executive Director, Green Marine provides details of Green Marine’s criteria and performance indicators under its environmental certification program for which the company has been shortlisted for the Sustainability Award. Mr. Bolduc highlights that Green Marine approach is based on an ‘out of the box’ thinking which is what the industry in general needs; stakeholders need to commit to move forward on a voluntary basis and beyond compliance.
SAFETY4SEA: Your organization has been shortlisted for the 2019 SAFETY4SEA Awards in the ‘Sustainability’ category alongside a number of other distinguished nominees. What would you like to share with industry’s stakeholders with respect to this development?
David Bolduc: We are honoured to be in such good company! We also appreciate the recognition for our unique environmental certification program based on a collaborative approach that involved “out of the box’’ thinking.
S4S: When it comes to tackling the shipping challenges with respect to sustainable shipping, what are the core priorities on your agenda?
D.B.: Our priorities are specified in our performance indicators. Green Marine’s criteria now has 12 performance indicators, each one addressing a specific environmental issue related to air, land or water pollution, such as pollutant air emissions, greenhouse gases, aquatic invasive species (AIS), spill prevention, dry bulk handling, and waste management. The program has evolved since its inception in 2007. It started out with only six performance indicators, focusing mostlly on AIS and air emissions. The program’s scope is now broader – and more stringent – and include new indicators regarding waste management (both on water and land), environmental leadership and, most recently, underwater noise. Our criteria are reviewed on a yearly basis to make sure that the program is up to date with regulatory changes, new technology availability and emerging issues, and that the levels remain above and beyond regulatory compliance.
S4S: What is your organization doing differently in order to prepare for a more sustainable future?
D.B.: Green Marine offers a comprehensive framework that makes it possible for any maritime company operating in Canada or the United States to reduce its environmental footprint by undertaking specific actions with measurable outcomes. Green Marine’s success also stems from the active support it receives from governments, scientific researchers and environmental stakeholders. A number of them regularly participate in reviewing and shaping the environmental program. This collaborative approach is what sets Green Marine apart. That and the fact that our participants commit to go beyond regulations, on a voluntary basis.
S4S: Do you have any new projects on the pipeline and/or plans that you would like to share with the rest of the industry?
D.B.: The program continues to evolve. We have two new performance indicators in the works: ship recycling for our shipowner participants; and, community relations for our port and terminal participants.
S4S: If you could change one thing about the shipping industry, what would it be and why?
D.B.: It would be nice to see the marketplace pay greater reward to companies that are going above and beyond in terms of sustainability. I wish there were better incentives in place to encourage a massive shift towards greater environmental performance.
You may cast your vote for Green Marine at 2019 SAFETY4SEA Awards dedicated webpage till 6th of September 2019!
The views presented hereabove are only those of the author and not necessarily those of SAFETY4SEA and are for information sharing and discussion purposes only.
