World First: Greek Ship Owner Awarded Carbon Credits
Neda Maritime Agency, a Greek tanker and bulker owner, has reportedly become the world’s first ship owner to be awarded carbon credits through a methodology developed by AkzoNobel’s Marine Coatings business.
A total of 13,375 carbon credits, potentially worth around $60,000, have been presented to Neda Maritime via the program. Launched in 2014, it is reported to be the first scheme of its kind that financially rewards ship owners for using sustainable hull coatings that improve operational efficiencies and reduce emissions.
The carbon credits were accrued by the tanker vessel Argenta, which was converted from a biocidal antifouling system to a premium, biocide-free advanced hull coating from AkzoNobel’s Intersleek range – part of the company’s International brand – that the manufacturer claims is proven to reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions on average by 9%.
Neda Maritime will use its carbon credits to voluntarily offset other sources of CO2 emissions within its business, as part of its commitment to reducing its impact on the environment. Each carbon credit accrued represents the avoidance of one tonne of CO2 being emitted to the atmosphere, meaning that the company has offset a total of 13,735 tonnes of CO2 from its business.
AkzoNobel’s carbon credits initiative was developed in conjunction with The Gold Standard Foundation and Fremco Group. In total, the issuance of the first carbon credits to be awarded through AkzoNobel’s initiative has seen more than 126,000 carbon credits awarded to Neda Maritime and a second ship owner, which has 15 vessels enrolled in the scheme. The name of this second ship owner will be announced shortly.