Enhancing Socially Responsible Shipping: ClassNK and Green Award strengthen ties

3 July, 2017 (Tokyo) – 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. The Foundation audits and certifies ships and ship managers that demonstrate excellent performance and go beyond industry statutory regulations in terms of safety, quality and environmental protection.

Current issues of concern of the shipping industry are the focus of both organisations: Green Award and ClassNK. Improvement of maritime security, safety of seafarers and reduction of ecological footprint require actions and industry-wide implementation of Corporate Social Responsibility principles. Stakeholders of the maritime industry need to continue to take steps for protection of public health, the ocean and the environment. Green Award actively promotes and supports this idea, while ClassNK, dedicated to the safety and environmental pollution prevention, shares the goal.

Ship recycling is one of the major issues that cannot be omitted and needs urgent attention. ClassNK has been addressing this issue in numerous ways including carrying out inspections on compliance with the Hong Kong Convention (HKC). ClassNK issued the world first HKC statement of compliance for ship recycling facilities in 2012 and the South Asia first statement in 2015. ClassNK’s verification has provided the industry with the transparent and reliable criteria for safe and environmentally sound ship recycling, and has been welcome by shipping companies, ship recyclers, and labor unions. Moreover ClassNK offers a software solution for the development and maintenance of the Inventory of Hazardous Materials (IHM), which is one of the regulatory requirements for ships. The software has been widely used by 3,000 companies in shipping, shipbuilding, and manufacturing sectors. ClassNK has issued the HKC statement of compliance for approximately 1,000 IHMs.

ClassNK, the pioneer and leader in promoting safer and greener ship recycling hopes to further encourage early implementation on compliance by offering a 10% discount on the issuance of HKC statement of compliance for the IHM to Green Award certificate holders. (For more information, please contact the Marine and Industrial Service Department (mid@classnk.or.jp).)

Jan Fransen of the Green Award Foundation, welcomed ClassNK’s decision to become an incentive provider: “We are grateful for the input and expertise that ClassNK has been contributing for years to the Green Award scheme through its membership on our Board of Experts. It is especially pleasing to see that our collaboration goes even further now. Responsible approach to all the issues around recycling of ships containing hazardous materials such as heavy metals, asbestos, ozone-depleting substances and others will benefit not only the maritime industry, but local communities, entire countries and the general public.“

Speaking on the occasion Tetsuya Kinoshita, ClassNK Senior Executive Vice President and the member of Board of Experts, the Green Award Foundation said. “As the IHM contains ship specific locations and quantities of hazardous substances on board, a ship recycling facility can utilize the information for its safe and environmentally sound recycling practices. Recognizing the IHM is a key element for better ship recycling. ClassNK is glad to team up with the Green Award Foundation to launch this collaborative initiative promoting IHM development. Together with the Green Award and the industry we will continue working for a safer and greener future.”

About ClassNK

ClassNK is a ship classification society. The Society is actively engaged in a growing range of ship related activities and services aimed at contributing to promoting the protection of human life and property at sea as well as protection of the marine environment.

ClassNK conducts surveys from its worldwide service network of around 130 offices to ensure that all new and existing ships and offshore structures fully comply with the classification rules developed by the Society. The rules cover not only hull structures, but also propulsion systems, electrics and electronic systems, safety equipment, cargo handling gear, various materials and navigational equipment, among other systems and components. ClassNK has authorization from over 100 flag administrations around the world to conduct statutory surveys and issue certifications in accordance with international conventions and national rules and regulations.

As an internationally recognized third-party certification body, the society also provides certification for quality, environmental and occupational health and safety management systems in accordance with international standards, as well as engaging in innovative R&D projects and developing IT solutions to help the industry tackle current and emerging challenges. Through these activities and by providing maritime stakeholders with the most up-to-date technical information via technical seminars and through our website, ClassNK provides a diverse range of services to the maritime industry.

www.classnk.com

About Green, Award

The Green Award Foundation was established in 1994. Green Award is a global, independent, non-for-profit quality assurance organization that works by certifying ship managers and vessels that go beyond the industry standards in terms of safety, quality and environmental performance. The scheme is open for sea-going oil and chemical tankers, bulk carriers, LNG and LPG carriers, container carriers and inland navigation barges.

The essential of Green Award is that it covers a wide range of aspects related to safety quality and the environment. Green Award brings together high quality ships, maritime service providers and ports that want to improve safety, attract quality ships and reduce environmental and safety risks. In fact Green Award acts as the platform for the industry cooperation. Green Award incentive providers (ports and maritime service providers) award ships the highest safety and quality standards of which are confirmed by the Green Award certificate with various benefits such as discounts on the port dues, products and services.

With over 100 incentive providers in North America, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Asia currently participating in the scheme, Green Award motivates ship owners and managers to invest in the improvements on board and ashore and serves as a reliable indicator of the ship’s highest standards and as a Corporate Social Responsibility and risk reduction tool for shipping companies and ports.

www.greenaward.org