In all areas of shipping, extensive work on the global level is being conducted with the aim of further
increasing safety and minimising the negative environmental impact. With the vessels in its P-MAX
fleet, Concordia Maritime has contributed to raising the standard.
The environmental impact of tanker
shipping consists mainly of emissions
from the vessels’ engines, the
use of toxic bottom paint, discharges of different
types of water that have been used on
board and the impact on the marine environment
of emptying ballast water.
Reducing greenhouse gases as well as
emissions of sulphur and nitric oxide is one
of the most prioritised environmental issues
in shipping. The work on making improvements
is being conducted on several different
levels and covers both technical developments
and research on new types of environmentally
friendly fuels. Sulphur is difficult to
remove after it has been emitted and, consequently,
the most effective way of protecting
the environment is to burn bunker oil with a
lower sulphur content. This oil is far more
expensive and therefore agreements at the
regional or global level are needed to ensure
competitive neutrality.
In 2008, the UN agency IMO (International
Maritime Organization) decided to
gradually lower the limits for emissions of
both sulphur and nitric oxide. The most farreaching
reductions will be introduced in the
Sulphur Emission Control Areas (SECA) in
the English Channel, the North Sea and the
Baltic Sea. However, global shipping will
also have to adapt to bunker oil with a lower
sulphur content than today.
Tougher regulations are also expected to
be introduced for discharges of ballast water.
The goal of the new ballast water regulations
is to prevent living organisms from spreading
from one region to another. The transfer of
organisms is regarded as one of the greatest
threats to the oceans and one of shipping’s
most difficult problems.
More environmentally friendly
ship recycling
In recent years, the shipping industry has
taken measures to reduce the impact of ship
recycling on the environment and humans.
In 2008, another step was taken as a result
of MEPC’s (Marine Environment Protection
Committee) proposal for tougher environmental
regulations applying to the whole
chain from ship design and construction to
operation and recycling. For example, all the
material on board would have to be classified
and the whole scrapping process structured
and certified. This is something Concordia
Maritime has been doing ever since the first
P-MAX tanker was delivered in 2005. The
Stena Paris was the first vessel to be certified
in accordance with Det Norske Veritas’
“Green Passport”.
The proposal will be presented to the
member countries for ratification during
spring, 2009.
Concordia Maritime’s
environmental work
Quality, environment and safety have been
guiding principles in Concordia Maritime’s
business for many years. The company’s
safety and environmental work has two overall
aims: to prevent accidents by working preventively
and to minimise the amount of hazardous
discharges to the sea and air.
Concordia Maritime’s P-MAX concept
was developed with the goal of combining
good transport economy with concern for
people and the environment. Its vessels are
among the world’s safest product tankers.