Industry leaders team up on improving safety
Maersk issued last week a sustainability update to announce its target that by 2020 Maersk is committed to reduce CO2 emissions by 60% (in comparison with 2007 levels).
Also, the company explains how Maersk Line is committed to conducting business in a responsible and transparent manner. This extends to a number of different issues of key importance to responsible business practice, including anti-corruption, health and safety, a sustainable supply chain and making investments in the communities where they operate.
Safer Shipping
Sailing in high seas and bringing hazardous goods safely to their destination, Maersk Line employees operate in challenging workplace environments. Keeping people and assets safe is a primary responsibility for any company in this situation. Until recently, there was nowhere to turn for knowledge sharing, benchmarking and identifying best practices in the container shipping industry to ensure high safety standards and that no harm is done to people, ships, cargo, and the environment.
In 2014, seven major companies launched the Container Ship Safety Forum (CSSF) as a global business-to-business network to improve safety performance and management practices in the container shipping industry. Maersk Line, CMA CGM, E.R. Schiffart, Costamare, Hamburg Sud, Rickmers Ship Management and Zodiac Maritime Agencies are the founders. The aim is to collectively identify common safety hotspots across the industry and to find ways to address the underlying causes of these.
Initial discussions have revealed that members share the same concerns and face similar challenges. Best practices have already been shared on Port State Control inspections, managing rest hours, lifesaving equipment and personal injuries. In future, more detailed benchmarks will be established to identify the key barriers and opportunities for better safety performance.
‘Our ambition is to further grow and transform the CSSF into a truly global network comprising carriers dedicated to creating a safer industry,” says Aslak Ross, Head of Marine Standards in Maersk Line and initiator of the forum.
Over time, the CSSF is expected to become a platform to discuss and benchmark against
one common safety standard and be a recognised voice in the container shipping industry providing our customers peace of mind that their cargo is in good hands.
Key Data
0 tolerance towards bribery
Anti-corruption Corruption negatively impacts communities and overall global economic development by channelling funds away from open economies towards covert economies. Corruption also erodes the trust necessary to build healthy societies. Maersk has zero tolerance towards bribery and participate actively in the fight against facilitation payments. Maersk focuses our efforts on training employees, best practice sharing, due diligence of partners, local risk mitigation initiatives and participating in industry-wide collaborations such as the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN) and the UN Global Compact.
233 senior managers trained in Global Labour Principles
Workplace standards – Maersk employees are an essential ingredient in Maersk Line´s success. The company is committed to good and fair labour conditions for all employees to ensure their welfare. All Maersk employees are covered by a single set of labour principles designed to ensure their well-being. These principles are in accordance with internationally recognised instruments, including the Maritime Labour Convention
0.71 LTIF in 2014
Health and safety – Maersk has focused on creating a working environment where safety is deeply rooted into behaviour, performance and company culture. The aim is zero accidents and the company is committed to continuously reducing the number of incidents in our operation. Further, Maersk promotes health and safety considerations and best practices in relationships with suppliers and other business partners.
Focus on Ebola
In 2014, Maersk Line continued its services to the Ebola-stricken countries Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Four vessels in one specific service loop were dedicated to ensuring adequate trade into the affected countries. The Maersk Ebola effort in numbers:
- 462 containers of food, medicine and vehicles were dispatched to the affected countries. This amounts to approximately 10,700 tonnes of aid.
- 73 containers were donated for storage of medical and humanitarian supplies and for inland transportation.
- Maersk Line, together with the rest of the Maersk Group, donated USD 1 million to support the United Nations’ effort against the outbreak.
Further details may be found by reading Maersk Sustainability Update
Source and Image Credit: Maersk Line
