Tag: reducing shipping emissions

Although shipping is the cleanest form of transport, it’s not quite perfect. Cargill is a member of several groups that promote sustainability on the high seas  Recently, Cargill became the first player in the industry to publicly commit to staying away from the crafts that cause the most pollution. Cargill Ocean Transportation doesn’t own any vessels, but it does charter over 500 of them, making it one of the biggest players in the sector.  “Charterers will play an increasingly significant role in defining how the shipping industry integrates sustainability into strategy and operations,” said Alastair Fischbacher, the director of the Sustainable Shipping Initiative. “Demonstrating how shipping can strengthen, not compromise, their customers’ supply chains has the potential to become an increasingly powerful commercial tool.” According to Anda Cristescu, global operations manager for Cargill OT, integrating sustainability into the company’s business isn’t just the right thing for people and the environment – it also makes business sense. “We want to be successful in the long term, protecting the people who work on our vessels and the environment at the same time. Choosing the vessels that meet high safety and environment targets allows us to do just that,” said Cristescu. Cargill started chartering ...

  BG Group has released its Sustainability Report which covers company's performance on most material sustainability issues for 2014. The report focuses on four key areas: responsible operator, valuing environment and climate, positive socio-economic impact, data and targets. “In 2014, the Sustainability Committee took a close interest in the Group’s efforts to further improve its safety record, considered a number of new country entries and monitored work on our licence to operate. It also discussed climate change, while continuing to monitor social performance and ethical conduct.”, commented Sir David Manning, Chairman of Sustainability Committee Valuing environment and climate As an oil and gas company, BG Group recognizes its duty to minimize the impact of  its operations on the environment, including the climate. BG Group aims to be part of the solution in meeting the energy demand of a growing global population, while addressing the critical challenge of climate change for society and our business. GHG target The company hava set the following targets for 2017, based on  2012 emissions intensity levels: • An 8% reduction in GHGs per barrel of oil equivalent produced for exploration and production activities • A 15% reduction in GHGs per barrel of oil equivalent from our LNG business. Emissions ...

After a meeting scheduled on February, environment ministers of the Australian Government released a discussion paper for a national clean air agreement proposing stronger air quality standards for sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone, tackling the release of mercury into the environment and curbing shipping emissions. Australian Environment Ministers have agreed to work towards establishing a National Clean Air Agreement by 1 July 2016 to ensure that the community continues to enjoy clean air and to address impacts on human health and the environment. According to the paper, it is well recognised that Australia’s air quality remains very good by world standards. Australian governments have over a number of years successfully implemented measures including strategies to reduce the levels of carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and lead which have significantly improved Australia’s air quality with positive environmental and health impacts. However, there are ongoing challenges and governments, businesses and the community need to be active to ensure a clean air future. The agreement addresses the following challenges: - Levels of airborne pollutants such as ground-level ozone and particulate matter still frequently exceed air quality standards. - At a local level, emissions of sulfur dioxide, mercury, particulates and other airborne pollutants ...

  The shipping industry expects ongoing growth in CO2 emissions to 2050, despite an apparent recent decline, say Tyndall Manchester experts. Opportunities for decarbonizing the sector in line with international commitments on climate change need to be re-evaluated. "In November 2014, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) released a study estimating greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions from the shipping sector globally between 2007 and 2012. The report shows how the shipping sector responded to the recent global economic downturn and considers drivers of GHG emissions. It breaks the sector into categories (for example, domestic, international) and ship types, looking back to 2007 and forwards to 2050 to develop future emissions scenarios for the sector. In addition, the report produces historical 'top-down' and 'bottom-up' GHG estimates for the global fleet, and by ship category. The top-down estimates use global marine bunker fuel sales data, whereas the bottom-up figures combine Automatic Identification System (AIS) observation data with technical data on the global fleet. Given the scale and urgency of the global climate change challenge, such detailed studies are essential for improving and prioritizing mitigation policies and efforts." Source: Tyndall Centre In the starting, I was forthright with you propecia before and after has changed my ...

  Hapag-Lloyd and DB Schenker are now working together to protect the climate. The two companies signed a strategic partnership agreement that aims to reduce CO2 emissions. The agreement sees Hapag-Lloyd commit to reducing the CO2 emissions for each and every DB Schenker shipping container it transports by six per cent on the 2014 figure by 2020. With the six-year partnership, both companies are reinforcing their commitment to the environment and to sustainable business practices. “As one of the world’s leading liner shipping companies, environmental protection has a high priority for Hapag-Lloyd,” emphasises Chief Operating Officer Anthony J. Firmin. Hapag-Lloyd already reduced its emissions by around 34 per cent between 2006 and 2013. “For us, the strategic partnership with DB Schenker is the logical next step when it comes to further reducing CO2 emissions along the entire transport chain.” “With this commitment, we are documenting the importance of climate protection and CO2 reduction at DB Schenker and Deutsche Bahn,” says Dr Karl-Friedrich Rausch, Member of the Management Board of DB Mobility Logistics AG responsible for the Transportation and Logistics Division, and the Member of the Deutsche Bahn Management Board responsible for sustainability. “DB Schenker is helping the Deutsche Bahn Group ...

  K Line has recently unveiled its vision for environmental performance up to 2050. In a recent publication, the company identifies four priority issues to achieve its goals for 2050 and addresses risk & opportunities. Priority Issues and key challenges: Marine pollution and the ecosystem – prevent marine pollution and protect the ecosystem Energy resources – diversify energy resources Global warming – suppress greenhouse gas emissions Air pollution – reduce air pollution to as close to zero as possible The following graph illustrates company’s overall evaluation of its priorities K Line sets its major four goals for 2050: Continue avoiding serious marine accidents and be the industry’s leader in protection of the ecosystem Replacing majority of energy currently consumed with new energy sources Reducing CO2 emissions by half Zero emissions K Line commits to continue voyage with a view towards these goals by setting a milestone to be reached by 2019, the year marking the 100th anniversary of its foundation. Interim milestone for 2019: Introducing LNG fueled carriers Continuing to avoid causing serious marine accidents Reducing CO2 emissions by 10% from 2011 level Building and implementing environmental flagships K Line has already taken initial steps navigating for sustainability by introducing ...

Hong Kong’s law on clean bunker fuel is scheduled to come into force on 1 July 2015.  The government has released a statement saying that the Air Pollution Control (Ocean Going Vessels) (Fuel at Berth) Regulation will be tabled at the Legislative Council on March 18 2015. "The Regulation prohibits OGVs from using any fuel other than compliant fuel while at berth in Hong Kong, except during the first hour after arrival and the last hour before departure. The shipmasters and ship owners are required to record the date and time of fuel switching and keep the relevant records for three years. If an OGV uses technology that can achieve the same or less emission of sulphur dioxide (SO2) when compared with using low-sulphur marine fuel, the OGV may be exempted from switching to compliant fuel," a spokesman for the Environmental Protection Department said. When the Regulation comes into effect, the master and owner concerned of any OGV using non-compliant fuel while at berth in Hong Kong will be liable to a maximum fine of $200,000 and imprisonment for six months. Shipmasters and ship owners who fail to record or keep the required particulars will also be liable to a ...

The Oslo-based NGO Bellona Foundation has launched a three year partnership with the leading Dutch company Damen Shipyards Group. The main goal of the partnership is to explore and develop concept vessels for the future. The agreement will be officially signed on March 18 during an industry event in Stavanger. The Bellona Foundation and Damen both acknowledge that today’s global shipping industry will need to undergo substantial change in order to achieve its own climate and environmental objectives. The NGO and Damen have joined forces to work towards reducing the impact on the climate of a wide range of commercial and leisure vessels, as well as fleets employed by the aquaculture industry. "One of Bellona’s goals is to make the ships of the future independent of fossil fuels. This partnership will provide us with new knowledge on innovative shipping construction that will contribute towards achieving that objective, said Frederic Hauge, founder and president of The Bellona Foundation. “Today the global shipping industry emits large amounts of CO2, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and other gases harmful to the climate and environment, and the European fleet is large and in need of renewal. The next three years of partnership with Damen will ...

  From 1 January 2015, MARPOL Annex VI Regulation 14.4 entered into full effect. This regulation refers to new and stricter requirements on the maximum sulphur content of fuels used by cargo vessels in Emission Control Areas (ECA). More precisely, in the ECA it is not permitted to use fuel which contains a sulphur percentage over 0.1%. The only fuel type that currently offers such a low sulphur percentage is Marine Gas Oil (MGO) whereas most vessels normally use the somewhat cheaper Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO).  In order to comply with the new sulphur emission regulations, Clipper decided to convert one HFO tank on six of our 30,000 dwt Trader-type bulk carriers into MGO tanks. The conversion reduces unnecessary costs of frequent bunker operations and delays. Simultaneously, it makes the vessels more sustainable and environmentally friendly, and thereby compliant with current legislation. As an extra benefit, the physical separation of piping makes it very unlikely to mix the two fuel grades by mistake. One of the converted vessels is Clipper Tarpon. Before the conversion, her MGO tank capacity was 143.4 m3. After the conversion she could contain an impressive 564.4 m3. This improvement allows the vessel to sail for a ...