Seaspan Awarded New Triple-E Rating

Containership owner Seaspan has received DNV’s new Triple-E rating. Triple-E is a voluntary self-improvement tool designed to help ship operators improve their organizational performance, identify ways to minimize their environmental impact and optimize their fuel consumption, thereby reducing costs. Seaspan’s vessel MOL EMERALD is the first ship to receive the rating, which was handed over at a ceremony in Vancouver, Canada by DNV President Tor E. Svensen.

The Triple-E rating is based on the capture of environmental and operational data from ships. It is a voluntary service which delivers a rating from 4 to 1 (1 is best) based on an independent assessment of a ship’s environmental performance. The rating is given per vessel, however the Triple-E requirements are two-fold and consist of company-specific requirements as well as vessel-specific requirements. Among other things it looks at a vessel’s discharge of harmful substances to sea as well as the shipping company’s environmental management system. The common denominator of the requirements covered in the rating is that most of them can easily be influenced by the owner of the ship; either by themselves or with the assistance of third parties such as DNV. Thus in effect the Triple-E encourages a process of continuous improvement, says Tor E. Svensen.

Seaspan was very excited to be the first containership owner globally to receive a Triple-E rating. "Over the past two years, Seaspan has focused on developing and operating more energy efficient and environmentally sound vessels, and we see the Triple E rating as an excellent path towards continuous improvement and market leadership," says Peter Curtis, Vice President, Seaspan Ship Management. "As the Triple E rating scheme is a standardized rating method delivered by an independent third party, it serves as a demonstrable method for us to prove to our charterers, investors and the public that we are investing in our policies, operations and vessels in order to support greater corporate sustainability, protect the environment and manage fuel consumption."