Vincent Wee, Business Times 6 Jun 08;
(SINGAPORE) The global container shipping industry is playing its part, in line with World Environment Day yesterday, to emphasise its commitment to environmental protection and reduce their impact on their environment.
A press release by new industry organisation Container Shipping Information Service (CSIS) said its members are aligning their practices to follow the United Nations Environmental Programme's (UNEP) 12 steps to lowering carbon emissions.
UNEP's slogan for this year's event is 'Kick the Habit! Towards a low carbon economy' and aims to highlight resources and initiatives that promote low carbon economies and lifestyles.
The 12 steps are: making a commitment to lowering emissions, assessing where you stand, deciding and planning where you want to go, de-carbonising one's life, getting energy efficient, switching to low carbon energy, investing in offsets and cleaner alternatives, getting efficient, offering low carbon products and services, buying and selling green products, teaming up in the green effort and talking about the issue.
'Container shipping is the most environmentally sound way to transport large volumes of goods across the world,' said OOCL chief executive and CSIS spokesman Philip Chow.
'However, we realise that it is a very large industry and inevitably has an effect on the environment. The container shipping industry recognises the need to encourage sustainable economic development through innovative and voluntary measures,' he added.
In addition, the industry also uses carbon calculators, technology and other voluntary environmental management guidelines and metrics to help evaluate and improve the performance of freight transport, while setting targets to cut energy consumption, through improved fuel filtering and setting optimum travelling speeds.
Better ship handling techniques, waste heat recovery and reductions in onboard power usage also help to reduce overall emissions.
Big strides are also being made in improving the efficiency of the vessels by using more efficient engines, better hull designs and the latest propeller technology.
CSIS members are also keenly evaluating the biofuels industry for possible alternative use in future and are exploring opportunities for offsetting emissions. The industry is now starting to offer environmentally friendly methods for shippers to move their goods like the use of sustainable materials such as bamboo as floorboards in containers, CFC-free (chloro-fluoro-carbons) and more efficient reefer containers.
Finally, even though the CSIS member lines are competitors, many of them work with the Clean Cargo Working Group which subscribes to certain guidelines to create a more just and sustainable global economy. And discussion on steps to reduce the environmental impact of the container shipping industry are also held.
'CSIS fully supports World Environment Day and we hope that it will help to stimulate public awareness of environmental issues,' said Mr Chow.
