Green Award Foundation News

The Green Award Foundation has announced that eight ports managed by the Osaka Ports and Harbors Bureau have joined as new Incentive Providers, offering discounted port fees to Green Award certified vessels that call their ports.This expands The Green Award’s network to 47 ports incentivising safety and sustainability in shipping globally.Among the eight new Japanese ports are the Port of Sakai-Senboku and Port of Hannan, two major industrial ports situated in the Osaka Bay. With a long history as trading hubs…

Japanese shipping giant Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) announced that its group company MOL Techno-Trade held a ceremony to mark its participation in the "Green Award Program", aimed at promoting "Quality Shipping" on a global scale.The program is run by the nonprofit Green Award Foundation (Head Office: Rotterdam, the Netherlands), which was established with the objectives of protecting the marine environment and enhancing the safety of vessel operation.At the ceremony, President of MOL Techno Hatta received a plaque from Green Award Foundation Executive Director Jan Fransen.Quality Shipping refers to action programs that enhance ship management…

Japanese shipping giant Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) announced that its group company MOL Techno-Trade has joined a Green Award Program aimed at promoting high-quality shipping.The program is run by the nonprofit Green Award Foundation, which was established with the objectives of protecting the marine environment and enhancing safe operation.The program aims to improve the quality of vessels and mariners and protect the marine environment by certifying vessels for excellence in safety and low environmental impact. Companies that share the foundation's goals support them by providing incentives.Eleven MOL Group-operated vessels have earned certification from the Green Award Foundation.

The Rotterdam-based inland shipping cooperative NPRC is the first logistics service provider in the inland shipping sector to be appointed as ‘incentive provider’ by the Green Award Foundation. In practice, NPRC can be expected to pay a share of the audit costs associated with certification for its members, as well as actively thinking along about the requirements set for the Green Award certification of inland shipping companies. According to the Member of the Provincial Executive of South Holland Rik Janssen, this is a ground-breaking collaboration. The unique partnership was announced during the meeting ‘Goederenvervoer over Water in een Stroomversnelling’ (‘Freight Transport by Water picks up Pace’) organised by the Province of South Holland on Wednesday, 20 June.

GAC Greece has become the latest GAC company to sign up to the Green Award (GA) Foundation’s scheme, underlining its commitment to environmental issues. Under the scheme, GA-certified ships that use GAC's ship agency services at Greek ports can claim a 10% discount on the company’s agency fees. By joining the incentive scheme, GAC Greece demonstrated its commitment to applying and promoting measures to encourage green shipping. The Green Award Foundation is a non-profit, independent international platform for the maritime industry to stimulate safer, cleaner shipping by supporting vessels that go beyond legally required standards. Participating ports and maritime service providers provide incentives for vessels through the scheme, to achieve a safer, greener and sustainable future.

Green Award Foundation has announced a new incentive provider joining the scheme. A new supporter of the international certification scheme offering discounts on various products and services to Green Award certified inland and ocean-going ships is Van der Velden Marine Systems B.V., one of the market leaders in the supply of high quality steering gear, rudders and hydraulic systems to the entire maritime sector. Green Award drives the highest quality and safety standards in sea and inland shipping through certifying ships that show excellent performance and demonstrate great technical and managerial characteristics. Van der Velden Marine Systems B.V. is headquartered in the Netherlands. Van der Velden rudders and steering gear are renowned for their high quality.

ABS has joined the Green Award certification network. As an incentive provider, ABS offers Green Award Certificate holders discounts on software and training courses to encourage high safety and environmental standards in shipping. “ABS is proud to join forces with the Green Award to improve shipping safety and environmental performance,” said Christopher J. Wiernicki, ABS President, Chairman and CEO. In his welcome address, Captain Dimitrios Mattheou, Chairman of the Green Award Foundation…

Green Award Foundation has announced that their network of incentive providers has extended to China. Kamji Marine Agency Ltd entered the Green Award scheme. Kamji Marine Agency headquarted in Zhoushan with branch offices in Europe. The company is a husbandry agent (local agent in Zhoushan port and a general agent for all other Chinese ports. It offers a wide range of services such as sludge disposal, tanker cleaning, dry dock repair, technical repair, store & spare parts supply and acts as a SPRO agent. Green Award certified ships and offices are offered a 3% discount for owner matter agency, no cash payment on board the ship for SPRO retainer fee and a 5% discount on sludge disposal, tank cleaning, technical repair and store & spare parts supply.

ClassNK and Green Award announced that they would further broaden their cooperation to ensure safety and minimize negative effects of the shipping industry. ClassNK became a Green Award incentive provider. ClassNK, a ship classification society, known for its highest quality classification services, covers about 20 percent of the world merchant fleet. The society is committed to safety and the prevention of pollution of the marine environment. As such a representative of ClassNK has been a member of the Board of Experts of Green Award Foundation for a number of years.

Shipowners, shipbuilders and representatives from the Green Award Foundation  attended the first in a series of planned ‘roadshows’ Subsea Industries has initiated to demonstrate the zero environmental impact and simplicity of cleaning hulls protected with its Ecospeed hard coating. Taking place last week in Maassluis, just outside Rotterdam, guests boarded Subsea Industries’ maintenance and dive support vessel to watch how vessels coated with Ecospeed can be cleaned effortlessly and legally in harbours…

Following a cooperation sealed between Alphatron Marine and Green Award Foundation at Posidonia in Athens, Greece, Alphatron Marine will reward Green Award certified ships with a discount of 10 percent that applies to a range of products and services for both seagoing and inland navigation ships. Green Award certificate implies that a ship’s performance is of such high standards of safety and quality that the ship qualifies for the Green Award requirements. Ships certified by Green Award are sustainable…

International marine risk management consultancy HudsonAnalytix has become the first U.S. company to be named an Incentive Provider for the international Green Award. The Green Award Foundation certifies maritime shipping companies and vessels that exceed legally required standards in terms of environment, safety and quality of operations. Incentive Providers recognize and reward the efforts of Green Award certificate holders by offering them an exclusive savings on services.

From the 1st of January, 2016, Green Award certified inland barges receive a 15% discount on the harbor dues in Nijmegen. Ships holding a Green Award certificate are cleaner, produce less noise and have higher fuel efficiency. With this action the largest inland port of the Netherlands stimulates further development of sustainable shipping. The Port of Nijmegen is now a participant of the Green Award scheme – an international certification scheme that already unites 16 inland ports and 573 inland ships.

The Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) said its dedication to pursuing the highest standards of safety, quality and environmental protection led them to joining the Green Award scheme as an incentive provider for seagoing ships. From 2014, oil, product and chemical tankers, LNG and, after a launch of the certification program later this year, LPG carriers, that hold the Green Award certificate are eligible for a 3% reduction in port fees when calling at the port of Hamburg. The port of Hamburg has an active position in promoting safety and environmental consciousness.

Green Award for inland shipping said it achieved a milestone on February 17, 2014 when it handed over its 500th nr certificate. Robert Baack, COO of IMPERIAL Shipping Holding GmbH, received the Green Award certificate nr 500 during a festive ceremony on board of the DB Haniel 14 in Duisburg (Germany). The certificate issued for inland barge the Imperial Gas 91 was handed over to him by Green Award’s managing director Jan Fransen. It is not a coincidence that the 500th certified ship comes from Germany. Green Award receives more applications from German ships.

The semiannual Thor Heyerdahl International Maritime Environmental Award was launched in 1999 by Thor Heyerdahl (1914-2002) and the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association to recognizes candidates from the shipping industry that have made an outstanding contribution for the environment. To qualify for the award, candidates must have demonstrated exceptional technical innovation and environmental work in correspondence with Thor Heyerdahl’s spirit for the conservation of the marine environment. Emphasis will be placed on measures that combine environmental benefits with improved profitability. Individuals from academia, science, research institutes, governments, NGOs, media and the shipping industry are encouraged to nominate.

The fifth annual Iron Ore and Coal World Shipping Summit will take place on October 1 in Athens, Greece. The conference will focus on the maritime transportation of iron ore and coal, making an attempt to forecast the trends of global economy; iron ore, coal and other commodities, production and distribution; the trading markets, shipping capacities, shipbuilding and shipping requirements; the financing and investment climate, shipping innovation effects on ship-values and the environmental imperatives. •    Nicky Pappadakis, President Emeritus Intercargo and Chairman, I.G. Pappadakis & Co. •    Harris Vafias President & CEO, StealthGas Inc. •    George D. •    John Su Managing Director, Keen Maritime Services Inc. •    Janos Koenig Managing Director, Eurofin International Ltd.

Rotterdam will be the first port in the world to reward ocean-going LNG tankers which possess the Green Award certificate. The Port Authority will give these ships 6% discount on port dues when they arrive in Rotterdam. LNG tankers have arrived in Rotterdam since the opening of the Gate terminal in 2011. The Green Award is a certificate presented by the independent Green Award Foundation to ships and shipping companies which have made extra investments in vessel and crew and, in this way, improved the environmental performance, safety and quality. At the request of the market and after many years of preparation, the Green Award Foundation last year started to certify LNG tankers.

Port of Rotterdam will be the first in the world to reward ocean-going LNG tankships holding Green Award Certificates. The Port Authority will give these ships 6% discount on port dues when they arrive in Rotterdam. LNG tankers have been calling in Rotterdam since the opening of the Gate terminal in 2011. The Green Award is a certificate presented by the independent Green Award Foundation to ships and shipping companies which have made extra investments in vessel and crew and, in this way, improved the environmental performance, safety and quality.

The Environmental Ship Index (ESI) & Green Award Foundation nautical environmental certificates to join forces. In future, the foundation will take the results of ESI on board in its own evaluation and in return, it will check the emissions of ‘Green Award ships’ on behalf of ESI during the annual audit. The Port of Rotterdam Authority provided port due discounts worth EUR 1.5 million to ships with the Green Award. Last year ESI ships received discounts amounting to a total of around €40,000. This figure has already risen to more than €600,000 in 2012. ESI – designed in part by the port authorities of Amsterdam and Rotterdam and in operation since 1 January 2011 – is a certificate issued by the World Port Climate Initiative at the request of the ship.

LNG Carrier Al Zubarah and Its Ship Management Company Earn Green Award Certificate. Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President: Koichi Muto) today announced that the MOL-managed LNG carrier Al Zubarah and its ship management company MOL LNG Transport Co., Ltd. (President: Reizo Funakoshi), received a Green Award Certificate from the independent non-profit Green Award Foundation based in Rotterdam on December 13. The certificate, based on stringent audits, is given to vessels and ship management companies for excellence in safety and environmental protection. The Al Zubarah follows the LNG carrier Dukhan, managed by an MOL LNG Transport (Europe) Ltd. inLondon, which received the same certification in October.

Preparations for this year's tanker gathering continue to progress swiftly, promising an interesting and comprehensive program for delegates and visitors. In addition to the INTERTANKO Annual General Meeting, Executive Committee and Council meetings, the Dubai Tanker Event will feature a series of open conference sessions covering a wide range of topics. As tankers and other shipping markets are enjoying good times on the back of a recovery in world economy and unprecedented growth in China, INTERTANKO has secured a solid panel of industry experts who will share their forecasts for global energy markets and how tanker owners best can prepare to meet future developments. With Dubai as its venue, the program will naturally focus on developments in the Middle East.

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.