Tag: sustainability

The Port of Antwerp aims to transit to a circular, low-carbon economy and sustainable energy is an important aspect. Under this, on July 25th the Port Authority was awarded ISO 50001 certification for the second time in a row. A plan has now been drawn up for the next three years to concentrate on energy efficiency.

Masterplan 2040 Reviewed 2018 comes after an 18-month review period, which included extensive public consultation and the completion of major environmental studies, including a Strategic Transportation Study and a Strategic Environmental Assessment, which identifies reduced environmental impact from the developments.

In February 2018, the Government of Seychelles announced the creation of two new areas for marine protection covering 16% (210,000 square km) of its ocean. These new marine protections are the first milestone in creating a Seychelles Marine Spatial Plan that will cover the second-largest area of ocean in the world.

The high seas make up the nearly two-thirds of the world’s ocean in areas beyond national jurisdiction; they extend outside the boundaries of exclusive economic zones and have few rules or coordinated management mechanisms. The following statistics show why it crucial to take action for the protection of the high seas.

In an exclusive interview with SAFETY4SEA, Mr. Nick Brown, Communications Director at Bureau Veritas, invites industry to continue bridging the gender gap and supporting effective leadership by setting clear targets and avoiding micro-managing. Mr. Brown also notes that the recent IMO strategy for emissions reduction is currently the biggest challenge.

After the European Commission released its proposal for the Connecting Europe Facility II for the period 2021-2027, Port of Rotterdam welcomed it. The Port said that it wants to improve sustainable maritime shipping, and the proposal's vision to protect the climate will help achieve sustainability targets.

Fishing vessels worldwide discard as many as two of every five sea creatures they catch. In response, Stanford scientists have developed a new software tool which can help fishers target the most productive fishing spots while avoiding unwanted or protected species such as sea turtles and dolphins.

The UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson revealed an ambitious plan on 22 June, to bring together all of the Government’s international oceans work under a single strategy for the first time. The strategy will provide a blueprint for international action towards the oceans that supports the long-term prosperity of the marine environment.

Plastic pollution is, without any doubt, causing big problems. However, up until recently, not many were aware of the full scale of the problem. Thus, by using drones the size of plastic pollution can be measured more easily. This will inform more people, and will provide solutions to tackle it.

During the 20th Summit between the European Union and China, on 16 July, the two parties signed an ocean partnership agreement. EU an China will cooperate to improve  international governance of the oceans in all its aspects, including by combating illegal fishing and promoting a sustainable blue economy.