The winners of 2021 GREEN4SEA Awards announced

The winners of the 2021 GREEN4SEA Virtual Awards are:

ABS received the 2021 GREEN4SEA Sustainability Award for helping operators establish a pathway for sustainability certification and reporting. Among others, ABS published guides on sustainability, launched two new sustainability notations and established Global Sustainability Centers in Athens, Houston and Copenhagen. Other short-listed nominees of this categories were: Getting to Zero Coalition, Green Fuels Research, IAPH and RightShip.

Accepting the award on behalf of the winner, Mr. Vassilios Kroustallis, Vice President, ABS Europe said:

Success in the decarbonization of shipping is a team sport. We need to work together, share sources, experience and knowledge in order to achieve industry’s sustainability ambitions. Everyone in ABS is fully committed to supporting the industry in every step towards that direction.

ABS has taken many initiatives towards sustainability; it has published a series of guidance/ documents/ white papers and organized webinars to assist the industry in navigating the uncharted waters of the 2030/2050 emissions challenge. In December 2020, ABS published the Guide for Sustainability Notations to assist operators in meeting ESG requirements, outlined in the UN SDGs. ABS also launched two new sustainability notations – SUSTAIN-1 and SUSTAIN-2 – to help industry establish a pathway for sustainability certification and reporting. To help drive decarbonization strategies, ABS published the second in a series of industry outlook documents, entitled Setting the Course to Low Carbon Shipping: Pathways to Sustainable Shipping. In 2020, ABS established Global Sustainability Centers located in Athens, Houston and Copenhagen along with the Global Sustainability Center in Singapore that opened in 2019. Services and tools provided by the Sustainability Center assist clients in their journey to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) excellence. In October 2020, ABS organized the inaugural virtual ABS Sustainability Summit where leading figures from some of the biggest names in global shipping joined ABS experts to explore the challenges of decarbonizing the industry. ABS is also a founding member of the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping (MCZCS), a research center designed to support shipping’s decarbonization ambitions, launched in June 2020.

ADERCO International received the 2021 GREEN4SEA Clean Shipping Award for driving innovation to enhance the performance of energy transition in both the shipping and inland sectors. Its unique organic fuel treatment improves fuel efficiency and operational reliability, delivering holistic, end-to-end solutions to operators. Other short-listed nominees of this categories were: Blue Water Trade Winds Pvt Ltd, HullWiper Ltd., Methanol Institute and Port of Amsterdam.

Accepting the award on behalf of the winner, Mr Olivier Baiwir, CEO, ADERCO, said:

For over 10 years, ADERCO has continued to improving sustainability knowledge and overcoming any challenges with great success. Today, we focus on driving innovation towards energy transition. Our unique organic fuel treatment technology delivers holistic end-to-end solutions providing optimum results in terms of efficiency, economy and the environment.

ADERCO is a forward-thinking company, consistently driving innovation to enhance the performance of energy transition in both the shipping and inland sectors. Fuel remains an essential part of global trade and logistics. ADERCO’s ambition is to fully support maritime industry while striving for greater sustainability and environmental security. ADERCO’s unique organic fuel treatment improves fuel efficiency and operational reliability, allowing the company to deliver holistic, end-to-end solutions for their worldwide customers. Its fully organic products are the benchmark of next-generation fuel treatments, providing optimum results in terms of efficiency, economy and, above all, the environment. With continuous advancement in research, each of ADERCO’s solutions are effective, safe and directly support the international movement towards cleaner fuel. Environmental sustainability is one of the key topics and issues that Aderco endeavors to address, both internally and externally. ADERCO believes that it’s possible to make meaningful progress to reduce global emissions whilst embracing the power of optimized fuel-based energy.

NAMEPA received the 2021 GREEN4SEA Initiative Award for its CSR/ESG Maritime Sustainability Program, which offers a vehicle to participants to incorporate CSR/ESG strategies such as corporate citizenship, environmental stewardship and leadership/governance as they lean forward to sustainability.Other short-listed nominees of this categories were: GoodFuels, HullWiper Ltd, ioCurrents, Wind Assisted Ship Propulsion (WASP) Project.

Accepting the award of behalf of the winner, Mr. John Hughes, Chairman of NAMEPA & CEO/President of Shipowners’ Claims Bureau said:

Sustainability and ESG are very much part of the future of all businesses in the marine community and especially for NAMEPA has always been part of its mission. Since the launch of the program, we were very successful at attracting substantial parties to gain the Maritime Sustainability Passport to organization including MSC, Cargill and the American Club.

NAMEPA’s CSR/ESG Maritime Sustainability Program was launched in June 2020 on World Oceans Day. The program is designed expressly for the maritime industry and its goals for CSR/ESG, with its corresponding “Maritime Sustainability Passport” (MSP) awarded to companies, organizations and individuals who meet the requirements of the program. The program offers a vehicle to participants to incorporate CSR/ESG strategies such as corporate citizenship, environmental stewardship and leadership/governance. The program contains a set of standards plus a toolkit for achieving them. The program and the toolkit are divided in Six Transparency Pillars: Waste Management, Emissions, Education, Technology, Social and Governance. Participants of the program who achieve a 60% score or better, will be awarded NAMEPA’s Maritime Sustainability Passport and MSP Seal as recognition of their efforts shown to be aligned with CSR/ESG practices. The benefits of the CSR/ESG program to maritime industry participants include increased efficiency, stakeholder visibility and positive global impact and social license. The Program is offered as an annual assessment with a Maritime Sustainability Passport given each year. This allows participants to measure their impact in sustainability. NAMEPA has served the maritime industry for 14 years promoting industry with best practices and educating on the importance of protecting the marine environment.

Nippon Paint Marine received the 2021 GREEN4SEA Technology Award for its highly environmentally safe hull coating Aquaterras which is the world’s first completely biocide free, self-polishing (SPC) antifouling. It contains no heavy biocidal pigments, active ingredients nor silicone and is proven to reduce ship’s drag by up to 10%. Other short-listed nominees of this categories were: Alpha Ori Technologies, Filtersafe, Jotun, Solvang.

Accepting the award on behalf of the winner, Mr. Seiichiro Shirahata, President, Nippon Paint Marine Coatings Co. LTD:

Aquaterras has been highly evaluated by the market and accepted by well-known companies across the globe which are environmentally conscious. All of our marine paintings have significantly contributed to environmental improvement and we are committed to developing innovative technology

Last year, the first ships featuring Nippon ‎Paint Marine’s innovative and highly environmentally ‎safe hull coating Aquaterras, entered service. Aquaterras is the world’s first ‎completely biocide free, self-polishing (SPC) ‎antifouling. It is a patent-protected material, based on a carefully ‎formulated mix of hydrophilic and hydrophobic ‎components, that is proven to ‎reduce ship’s drag (frictional resistance) by up to ‎‎10%. The coating is the result of a long-standing project ‎to find an environmentally-sustainable way of ‎reducing ships’ energy consumption and ‎subsequently emissions by reducing ships drag. The ‎feedback from joint testing and in-water inspections ‎of test patches applied to cruise ships over the past ‎three years has shown Aquaterras to be an effective ‎antifouling that does not leach hazardous biocides ‎into the water column. Aquaterras can be applied to ships directly over ‎approved biocidal SPC antifouling paints and can ‎even be over coated by other SPC antifouling paints ‎without needing to be removed. Nippon Paint Marine has always looked to develop ‎systems that go beyond the regulations. And with ‎Aquaterras its chemists have achieved a truly effective and efficient long-life, ‎self-polishing antifouling paint without the use of ‎biocides. Registered as a tin-free antifouling paint, Aquaterras ‎has received approvals from all the major ‎classification societies and is certified with no ‎‎’active ingredients’ in its Type Approval Certification.

Odfjell received the 2021 GREEN4SEA Tanker Operator Award for putting sustainability at the heart of its operations with the launch of a sustainability strategy to align company’s focus areas and actions with the UNs SDGs. Odfjell is also a committed member of the UN Global Compact, embracing to ten defined sustainable principles. Other short-listed nominees of this categories were: BW LPG Pte Ltd Stena Bulk, Synergy Marine Group and Thome Group.

Accepting the award on behalf of the winner, Mr Kristian MØrch, CEO, Odfjell said:

We put sustainability at the heart our operations and we are proud of the results delivered so far. We are committed to securing safe operations at sea and ashore as well as finding new sustainable solutions. We know that this comes with great challenges but we will continue to focus on sustainability and a carbon neutral future

Odfjell has set ambitious targets to reduce its environmental footprint and improve fuel efficiency. Since 2008, Odfjell has run several environmental and efficiency programs, resulting in an almost 30% reduction in its carbon intensity from 2008. Now, the company aims to reduce its carbon intensity by 50% by 2030 compared to 2008 levels. Odfjell commits to pursue a zero-emission strategy and opts for a climate-neutral fleet from 2050. Odfjell has also committed to the 10 UN Global Compact Principles, the Sustainable Ocean Principles and a set of targets based on a campaign initiated by the Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise on UN’s 17 SDGs. Odfjell is also a member of the ‘Getting to Zero’ coalition, a global alliance working to operate zero-emission vessels on deep-sea trades by 2030. Odfjell’s overall targets embrace ambitious measures for the Company’s efforts and impact on Environment, Governance and Compliance.

Olympic Vision Maritime Co Inc (Onassis Group) received the 2021 GREEN4SEA Dry Bulk Operator Award for its commitment to greener and sustainable shipping. It is a newly established dry bulk company (2017) that has already demonstrated excellent results in all safety, environmental, operational and regulatory aspects. Other short-listed nominees of this categories were: ADK Maritime Pte Ltd, ESL Shipping, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) and Synergy Marine Group.

Accepting the award on behalf of the winner, Mr Spyridon Tarasis, General Manager, Olympic Vision Maritime Company Inc, said:

This award is a great honor for us as it reflects the ongoing efforts of all our team onboard and ashore as well as our company’s long commitment to safety, environment, quality and standards of environmental excellence. Transparency and sustainability, combined with competitiveness, best describe our ESG Strategy.

Olympic Vision Maritime (Onassis Group) is a newly established dry bulk company, founded in late 2016. The company is run by a team of 13 that manage the Dry Bulk Fleet of the Onassis Group. Olympic Vision Maritime operates a fleet of 10 bulk carriers of various sizes and employs a pull of more than 440 seafarers. From Chartering and Operations to Crew, Technical, Marine and HSQE, the company is committed to safeguarding the key 3 Ps for sustainability: People, Planet, and Profit. Olympic Vision Maritime introduces the latest management strategies and crew training concepts, implementing new digital tools that ensure enhanced safety, operational efficiency and sustainability. Olympic Vision is part of the Onassis Foundation ecosystem, with its unique public benefit mission. 40% of Olympic Shipping’s net annual profits are returned to Greece
 through the Onassis Public Benefit Foundation initiatives 
in healthcare, culture, and education. The company invests in the lives of thousands of patients, shapes the society of the future
, triggers discussions and supports the development of every individual.

Harilaos Psaraftis, Department of Technology, Management and Economics, Technical University of Denmark (DTU) received the 2021 GREEN4SEA Personality Award for contributing to Shipping Industry on various technical and environmental aspects, focusing on the implementation and improvement of green regulations.

Introducing the award, Mrs Athena Kanellatou, Director, Digital Solutions, Customer Co-Creation, MacGregor, said: ”With actions to inspire other to do more, dream more, become more, solid education, world-class expertise, commitment to serve the present and the future of shipping industry, Dr. Harilaos Psaraftis, who is an inspired expert and distinguished professor, has won the trust of the international maritime community.’’

Accepting the award, Prof. Harilaos Psaraftis said:

Over my academic career, I dealt with different and diverse research topics, for example ocean acoustic detection, ocean clean up, ship automation, autonomous shipping, which had no commonality but were all very exciting. My involvement in sustainable shipping started with a very small project sponsored by the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping and it turn out to be my main focus of activities in the recent years. Several people, including many colleagues, associates, students were involved in my projects and I am very grateful for their contribution.

Harilaos N. Psaraftis is a Professor at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Department of Technology, Management and Economics. He has a diploma from the National Technical University of Athens, two M.Sc. degrees and a Ph.D. from MIT, USA. Dr. Psaraftis has been Assistant and Associate Professor at MIT from 1979 to 1989 and Professor at NTUA from 1989 to 2013. Dr. Psaraftis has participated in some 55 research projects, of which 25 from the EU. He has been a member and chairman of various groups at IMO. He has also served as CEO of the Piraeus Port Authority (1996 -2002). Dr. Psaraftis has published extensively and has received several academic and industry awards. His latest book is entitled “Sustainable Shipping: A Cross-Disciplinary View”, Springer (2019).

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