Heyerdahl Award 2005 to Japanese NYK Line
The Japanese shipping company, NYK Line, was today announced as winner of the Heyerdahl Award 2005. The Norwegian Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr. Børge Brende, presented the Award during an Award Ceremony in Tokyo. The Heyerdahl Award honours the spirit of the Norwegian explorer Dr. Thor Heyerdahl and inspire the world maritime community to innovative actions to protect the environment.
- NYK Line demonstrates a remarkable commitment to ceaselessly improving its environmental performance. I am proud to award the Japanese company this year’s Heyerdahl Award, says Børge Brende. – By contributing to an improved global environment and giving inspiration to the development and implementation of new specific environmental measures, NYK Line is a first class winner of the Award. NYK Line’s ambitions are clearly demonstrated and communicated in their comprehensive Social & Environmental Report. This company can serve as a model and example for other major shipping companies.
- NYK is also actively participating in the development and implementation of a number of innovative technological solutions and operational procedures contributing to reducing the environmental impact of the operation of their fleet that go beyond regulatory requirements, Mr. Brende continues.
- Japan and Norway are both active participants in the IMO where they both give high priority to environmentally friendly and quality-based shipping, the Minster concludes.
The Japanese company, founded in 1885, is today one of the world's leading shipping companies. NYK Line (Nippon Yusen Kaisha) is awarded for their outstanding commitment to continuously improve their environment performance beyond what is required by rules and regulations.
The Norwegian explorer, Dr. Thor Heyerdahl, and the Norwegian Shipowners' Association launched The Heyerdahl Award in June 1999. From January 2003 the sponsorship behind the award was developed further, to include also the shipping classification society DNV, the insurance companies, Skuld and Gard Services, and the Nor-Shipping trade fair. The award consists of 100 000 US dollars.
The decision is based on the Statues of the Award. Emphasis has been on nominees that have contributed outstanding service for the benefit of the environment, either by awareness raising, implementation of new measures for the improvement of the environment, or by developing new practical and financially sustainable environment measures.
Previous winners are the Green award Foundation in 2001, and The International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Limited (ITOPF) in 2003.
