On June 24, the laureates of the Green Marine Europe label were revealed in Biarritz. If six shipowners had already been awarded in 2020, they are, for this second edition, twelve have committed to a sustainable ecological transition. A great hope for change in the maritime transport sector, which is particularly polluting for the ocean.
Green Marine Europe,a label created in 2020 by Surfrider Europe and Alliance Verte
The voluntary environmental certification program for the maritime industry, born of a partnership between Surfrider Europe and Alliance Verte in 2020, has grown. This June 24, 2021, no less than 12 shipowners were then rewarded for their good environmental conduct… Twice the number of companies certified last year!
The Green Marine Europe label provides a detailed framework for companies to measure and reduce their environmental footprint. Through its eight distinct performance criteria, it addresses priority environmental issues related to air and water quality and the protection of biodiversity: reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, end of underwater noise, end of collisions with cetaceans and invasive species, better management of residual materials, consideration of the conditions for dismantling vessels… This is a way for voluntary shipowners to make continuous progress, by promoting their environmental performance beyond existing legislation.
The program is gaining momentum, with twice as many laureates in 2021!
“This sectoral emulation in favor of decarbonization and impact reduction is beneficial to the marine environment, our blue lung,” says Antidia Citores, spokesperson for Surfrider Foundation Europe, recalling that in addition to a partnership between Green Marine and the NGO for the protection of the ocean, the label is the result of a collaborative effort involving the maritime and port sector, shippers, governments, NGOs and ADEME.
All these stakeholders can now be pleased with the evolution of Green Marine Europe. In this second year of certification, the program has doubled in size, with five new laureates : Compagnie maritime nantaise, Sogestran Shipping, Maritima, Penn ar Bed shipping company, and Ponant. The Italian Garbage Group should also soon join their ranks. After completing its self-diagnosis, its results will be verified by external experts who will decide on the admissibility of the label to the shipowner. These six new shipowners join, of course, the six laureates of last year’s program, who have now been awarded the label: Brittany Ferries, CORSICA linea, La Méridionale, Socatra, Orange Marine and Genavir-Ifremer.
While the expansion of this program is a significant step forward, Surfrider Europe and Alliance Verte are also proud of its progressive Europeanization and diversification – the cruise sector being added this year to the ferry, bulk, research and cable ship sectors.
Guaranteeing complete environmental performance
It is also important to note that last year’s seven performance indicators (aquatic invasive species, greenhouse gas emissions, NOx, SOx, management of oil and waste dumps, underwater noise), have been completed by a new criterion relating to ship dismantling. The Green Marine Europe label therefore covers, even more than in 2020, all the priority environmental issues related to the activity of shipowners, from the beginning to the end of the life of their respective fleets.
