New ships are able to cut GHG emissions by 50 %
The Royal Bank of Canada and the Supply Chain & Logistics Association Canada have released a report that identifies environmental sustainability as a key issue faced by the country, but one that offers significant opportunities for Canada’s transportation and logistics companies.
The report entitled, Focus Forward: Enhancing Supply Chain Value with Green Logistics & Transportation, highlighted environmental sustainability issues within the shipping, air, road, rail and truck transportation industries, and how distribution and transportation companies can enhance competitiveness in an increasingly global business environment.
In terms of marine transportation, the report praised the shipping sector for its ability to mass transport goods with tremendous energy efficiency.
“It is also relatively clean in comparison to other modes, emitting less carbon dioxide per tonne-kilometer than air or truck transport,” said David Bolduc, executive director of Green Marine in Quebec.
However, the marine mode as a whole still has a significant environmental impact, the report added.
Marine transport uses heavier fuels which emit more sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter when burned.
International marine shipping, along with aviation are the only two industries not covered by the 1997 Kyoto Protocol because their greenhouse gas emissions cannot be pinned down to a particular country.
The report added that despite no emission-reduction targets, industry players are proactively working together for a cleaner marine mode to minimise other emissions and to prepare for potential future GHG regulation.
Among the shipping industry’s self-regulator efforts is the Emissions Control Area that will be implemented in North America in 2012.
The report added that shipping companies such as Maersk Line have introduced new ships which are able to cut GHG emissions by 50 percent.
The report is the second in a series aimed at helping leaders of Canadian organiszations better understand the risks and benefit from the business opportunities presented by the environmental sustainability challenge.
Source: Breakbulk Online
