Capital Group, Navios Maritime Partners, Neda Maritime Agency, Star Bulk and Thenamaris have joined efforts in an initiative for a global Maritime Emissions Reduction Centre.
The Lloyd’s Register (LR) Maritime Decarbonisation Hub is collaborating with five leading shipowners as Founding Members in the establishment of a not-for-profit Athens-based global Maritime Emissions Reduction Centre (M-ERC) that will focus on optimising the efficiency of the existing fleet. LR and The Founding Members believe that this is a significant initiative, which underlines the importance of Athens as an international maritime centre.
The M-ERC is being created with the goal of removing technical, investment and community barriers for the uptake of solutions to reduce the Green House Gas (GHG) emissions of the existing global fleet, offering a collaborative ‘safe space’ for the maritime value chain’s stakeholders, to safely navigate to net zero.
To inform and inspire the adoption of new and existing solutions to facilitate the maritime energy transition, the centre will use its applied research and innovation to remove uncertainties and barriers, enabling the uptake of technologies and solutions today. The M-ERC will help drive optimal operational gains, identifying and resolving the commercial obstacles that stakeholders face.
The centre will also play an important role in ensuring that today’s ships are suitable for the energy transition whilst ensuring that the people within the industry have the necessary training and skills. These goals will be achieved through research and collaboration with shipyards and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) alongside the M-ERC’s work across society, ports and seafarer organisations to ensure the upskilling and awareness amongst seafarers and shore-based staff.
As part of the collaboration between the LR Maritime Decarbonisation Hub and leading ship owners, including Capital Group, Navios Maritime Partners, Neda Maritime Agency, Star Bulk and Thenamaris, the centre will aim to attract global and regional funding to fund activities, projects and initiatives to deliver on the desired outcomes of the M-ERC. It is anticipated that more shipping stakeholders will join the initiative in the months to come.
Angeliki Frangou, Chairwoman of the Board and CEO of Navios Maritime Partners LP, conveyed Navios’ belief in the fundamental importance of developing appropriate technologies and solutions for reducing carbon emissions. She emphasized their commitment to investigating novel approaches as responsible members of the global community. Frangou expressed delight in collaborating with Lloyd’s Register and participating in the establishment of the global Maritime Emissions Reduction Centre, hoping that their collective efforts would yield results in the short term.
Energy saving technologies and operational practices will play the primary role in delivering the 30% reduction of emissions targeted by the IMO in just six years from now. So, we need to make every upcoming drydocking count and the Maritime Emissions Reduction Centre in Athens will support our industry to evaluate and implement existing and new solutions.
… said Nick Brown, CEO, Lloyd’s Register
Evangelos Marinakis, Chairman and Founder of Capital Maritime & Trading Corp., expressed pride in being part of an alliance with the objective of creating an ecosystem for research and innovation in the shipping industry in Greece. He noted that the energy transition in the shipping sector poses a collective challenge, emphasizing the Maritime Emissions Reduction Centre as the implementation of this initiative. He stated that it is their duty to participate in the first movers’ alliance, an international decarbonization maritime hub, where knowledge, skills, innovation, and research are shared. The ultimate goal is to collaboratively work towards achieving a feasible, safe, and sustainable decarbonization pathway for the maritime fleet.
By leveraging Greece’s shipping heritage and expertise, we are able to take steps today to improve the energy efficiency of the world fleet and to reduce the carbon footprint of our industry.
… commented Charis Plakantonaki, Chief Strategy Officer, Star Bulk Carriers Corp
George Thanopoulos, CEO of Neda Maritime Agency, shared the belief that the establishment of the M-ERC in Athens would significantly enhance the shipping industry’s efforts towards a sustainable future. He expressed delight in collaborating with LRS and leading ship owners to pave the way for the introduction and evaluation of environmentally friendly, safe, and innovative technological solutions, with an emphasis on the existing fleet.
There is a pressing need to identify and implement safe and practical solutions as we transition to the fuels and technologies of the future. As a Founding Member of the Maritime Emissions Reduction Centre, Thenamaris is committed to being an active partner in this initiative.
… added Nikolas Martinos, CEO, Thenamaris
