Ministry Of The Environment News

Imoto Lines and Marindows have outlined plans to build the next generation zero-emission domestic container ship capable of hybrid operation using Japan's first exchangeable container batteries, alongside onboard batteries and generators.The joint project between the companies aims to address three major challenges of the maritime industry - decarbonization, crew shortage, and safe navigation.The three-year project is supported by the Ministry of the Environment, Government of…

MOL and partners have completed a trial of bioLNG (liquefied bio-methane or LBM) derived from cattle manure on the domestic LNG fueled general cargo vessel Ise Mirai.Teaming up on the project with MOL were Air Water Inc., Techno Chubu Company, Kyoudou Kaiun,The trial, conducted in Ise Bay, was Japan's first bunkering of carbon-neutral LBM derived from biomass. The vessel was jointly built by MOL Coastal Shipping, Techno Chubu, and Kyoudou Kaiun, and was delivered in December 2020.

South Korea-based Asia Shipbuilding recently held the keel laying ceremony for hull number ASB – 1245 of the Pacific Island Supply Vessel, an innovative sailing cargo ship for the needs of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.The consortium of Asia Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., and the naval design company Kostec Co., Ltd., last year signed a contract with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH to deliver an innovative sailing cargo ship for the needs…

Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) said it is seeking to use cattle manure as part of its strategy to reduce vessel emissions.The company announced it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Air Water Inc. to study the use of liquefied biomethane (LBM) derived from cattle manure in vessels fueled by liquefied natural gas (LNG).MOL, which has set a target to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, has been accelerating the deployment…

For the fifth year in a row, SAAM Towage was recognized by the Ministry of the Environment’s Huella Chile program for measuring and assuring its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during 2021.“Our commitment is to continually seek alternatives that allow us to reduce the carbon footprint of our operations. Measuring our footprint enables us to assess our progress and set new goals for the coming years,” said SAAM Towage Chile Manager, Cristián Cifuentes.He explained that the company…

Mitsubishi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. completed installation of the first unit of an LNG (liquefied natural gas) fuel gas supply system (FGSS) for marine dual fuel engines, delivered in November last year, on the pure car carrier (PCC) built by Shin Kurushima Toyohashi Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. The first LNG-fueled PCC built in Japan was delivered to Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha on October 28, 2020, and has entered service. During the construction period after the delivery of the FGSS…

Fuel spilling from a Japanese bulk carrier that ran aground on a reef in Mauritius two weeks ago is creating an ecological disaster, endangering corals, fish and other marine life around the Indian Ocean island, officials and environmentalists say.The MV Wakashio, owned by the Nagashiki Shipping Company, struck the reef on Mauritius' southeast coast on July 25.On Thursday, the government said fuel was leaking from a crack in the vessel's hull and Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth declared a state of environmental emergency…

Indonesian authorities are considering two companies’ requests to dispose mining waste into the ocean, a senior government official said on Sunday, at a time of heightened sensitivity about the environmental impact of mining.The requests come as mining waste management is increasingly scrutinized after a nickel plant in neighboring Papua New Guinea spilled red mud into the sea last year due to an operational failure.Indonesia was a major nickel ore exporter until last year, before…

A new liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered survey, wreck-search and research vessel built by German Naval Yards Kiel is currently undergoing installation and finishing works at Fassmer in Berne, Germany prior to being commissioned this spring.Ordered by the German Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH), the new research vessel will be homeported in Hamburg, replacing the previous Atair, which entered operation in 1987.At 75 meters long and roughly 17 meters wide, the new Atair will be the largest research vessel in the BSH fleet.

A top hostage negotiator, the CEO of a company which supplies environmental products to ship owners and operators and the heads of two maritime technology firms are all part of an impressive line-up of speakers scheduled to speak at the 2019 Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA) AGM & Conference which takes place next week from Tuesday, October 29, to Friday, November 1. The four-day event is being hosted by WISTA Cayman Islands and is expected to bring over 200 maritime experts from 30-plus countries.

Carnival Corporation announced its Germany-based brand, AIDA Cruises, has partnered with leaders from the maritime and engineering sectors to pilot the world’s first fuel cell system designed to power large passenger vessels. As early as 2021, AIDA Cruises will trial this innovative fuel technology on AIDAnova, becoming the cruise industry’s first brand to trial fuel cells on a large cruise ship.The research project, named “Pa-X-ell2,” is designed to develop fuel cells that are powered by hydrogen derived from methanol…

AIDA Cruises' newest ship AIDAnova recognized with prestigious international certification for excellence  in environmentally friendly ship design by Germany's Federal Ministry for the Environment.Carnival Corporation, the world's largest leisure travel company and the owner of German brand AIDA Cruises, said that AIDAnova features several innovative approaches to "green cruising," including being the first cruise ship capable of being powered in port or at sea by liquefied natural gas (LNG), the world's cleanest burning fossil fuel.Blue Angel is a certification program of Germany's Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety.

Government and private stakeholders have expressed their support for climate action in the Caribbean, with a focus on decarbonizing the shipping sector.According to International Maritime Organization (IMO),  during a regional workshop on Capacity Building for Climate Mitigation in the Maritime Shipping Industry, held at the Chaguaramas Campus of The University of Trinidad and Tobago (1-3 July), Caribbean maritime sector committed to decarbonization.The workshop, the second for the region, was hosted by the Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre (MTCC) Caribbean - one of five regional centers established under the IMO-led, European Union-funded Global MTCC Network (GMN) project.Participants were updated on pilot projects completed by MTCC-Caribbean…

The Clean Arctic Alliance welcomes Iceland’s plan to ban the use of fuel oils with more than 0.1% sulphur content from use as shipping fuel from its waters.The proposal from Iceland’s Ministry of the Environment and Natural for a new regulation on the use of fuel oil with more than 0.1% sulphur content for ships operating in its territorial waters, has been hailed by the green group.Dr Sian Prior, Lead Advisor to the Clean Arctic Alliance said: "While this prohibition will lower eMissions of sulphur oxides, and particulate matter content of eMissions and protect Iceland’s territorial waters beyond international requirements, and could potentially reduce heavy fuel oil (HFO) use and black carbon eMissions too…

Japanese shipping giant Nippon Yusen (NYK) has announced its support of recommendations by the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), in addition to the company’s participation in the TCFD Consortium established on May 27, 2019.NYK aims to improve its climate change–related disclosures through discussion and information-sharing in the consortium.In NYK’s medium-term management plan “Staying Ahead 2022 with Digitalization and Green” released in 2018, NYK announced the group’s intent to integrate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives into management strategy to positively address the tough issues that challenge our society.

Japanese shipping giant Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) announced that it will participate in the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) Consortium, which was established to provide a forum for discussions among corporations and financial institutions that agree with "TCFD recommendations"."This aims to ensure that companies factor in climate change-related risks and opportunities when they disclose their strategies to investors," said a press note from MOL.The final report, released in June 2017 by the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), which was established by Financial Stability Board (FSB), by reflecting intention of G20 Financial Ministers and Central Bank Governors.Four core elements—governance…

Tokyo-headquartered shipping and logistics company Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) has received the Ministry of Environment Award in the Japan Green Innovation Department at the Japan Green Bond Awards sponsored by Japan’s Ministry of the Environment, which is promoting green bond to address environmental issues.A ceremony was held on March 1 and attended by Katsuya Nakano, general manager of NYK’s Finance Group, said a release from the global transportation company.The Japan Green Bond Awards recognize outstanding initiatives in the issuance of green bonds, and publicize the efforts so as to encourage green bond issuance and investment in Japan.NYK was acclaimed for becoming the world’s first company to issue labelled green bonds in the global shipping business sector…

Contecon Guayaquil SA (CGSA) became the first port in South America to obtain a carbon-neutral certification, with the Ecuador Ministry of Environment and environmental ratings agency, Sambito SA, recognizing the company’s strong and priority commitment to the environment.According to ICTSI, the operator of the Port, the certification marking CGSA’s compliance to ISO 14064-1 standards lauds the company’s policies that are directed and translated towards greater sustainability initiatives, as well as the incorporation of technologies that reduces the operation’s impact to Ecuador’s largest and premier maritime gateway.“This carbon neutral certification awarded to Contecon Guayaquil is a testament of our firm and unbreakable commitment to preserve the environment in our own way.

CMN Shipyard in Cherbourg, France, conducted sea trials on the June  13, 2018 on the OPV Thémis from the French Coastguard (Affaires Maritimes).The patrol vessel received a hydrodynamic upgrade at the shipyard by retrofitting the patented Hull Vane, an underwater wing which reduces the ship’s resistance. Comparison with the benchmark sea trials – conducted in January in exactly the same conditions – by CMN’s sea trial team showed a reduction in fuel consumption of 18 percent at 12 knots, 27 percent at 15 knots and 22 percent at 20 knots.

A 17,000 dwt product tanker that ran aground in the St. Lawrence Seaway last week has been refloated and pulled free from the edge of the waterway.The Marshall Islands flagged Chem Norma was refloated Sunday after running aground near Morrisburg, Ontario last Tuesday. The St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) said the ship is undergoing an inspection process to ensure that it is ready to resume its transit.The 145-meter Chem Norma, carrying refined petroleum products, went aground at 4:09 AM on Tuesday, May 29, due to an issue with its rudder. The vessel came to rest against the edge of a designated anchorage area and was not blocking any traffic. No injuries or pollution have been reported.Among the federal and provincial authorities involved in the response were The St.

ABS has been authorized as a Recognized Organization (RO) for Italy, giving the organization the ability to carry out statutory reviews and certifications on behalf of the Italian Flag Administration. “This authorization strengthens our offering to Italian flag vessel owners and provides a compelling option as they consider their classification and RO partner,” says ABS Chairman, President and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki. Working closely with Italy’s Ministry of the Environment and Protection of Land and Sea and Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, this authorization allows ABS to verify compliance of Italian flag ships with the major international safety and pollution prevention programs: the International Load Line, SOLAS and MARPOL Conventions.

The 2015 NYK Report has been honored with an award for excellence in the environmental reporting category at the 19th Environmental Communication Awards, which are jointly sponsored by Japan’s Ministry of the Environment and the Global Environmental Forum, a non-profit organization based in Tokyo. This is the fourth consecutive year that NYK has been recognized at these awards, following the company’s win of the Sustainability Report Grand Prize (the Environment Minister Award) in 2012, the President’s Award for Excellence in 2013, and an award for excellence in 2014. The NYK Group will continue to create reports that give stakeholders a better understanding of the company’s activities…

NYK’s Ship Information Management System (SIMS), jointly developed by NYK and the Monohakobi Technology Institute has been recognized with Japan’s 2015 Minister of the Environment Award in the Technical Development and Commercialization category. An awards ceremony was held on December 2, 2015, and attended by Yoshiyuki Yoshida, NYK managing corporate officer, and Makoto Igarashi, president of MTI. By employing SIMS on vessels, detailed data can be timely shared between onboard crew and land-based operation staff. Such data includes precise hourly updates on conditions of operation and fuel consumption. NYK started employing SIMS on containerships in 2012 for energy-saving operations…