Maersk Line, Gearbulk, BP Shipping, Lloyd's Register and ABN Amro are working with Forum for the Future and WWF to address sustainability in the shipping industry.
The Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) will examine the challenges and opportunities which face the industry over the next 30 years and what it needs to do to ensure that, by 2040, the industry remains profitable while building a strong record of social and environmental responsibility.
"Shipping plays a vital role in global trade and affects the lives of billions of people around the world," said Jonathon Porritt, founder director of Forum for the Future. "Smart shipping companies can see the way the wind is blowing in terms of today's pressing sustainability issues, and leadership of this kind is crucial to the future success of the whole industry."
Climate change and new weather patterns; oil shortages and carbon taxes; changing markets and cargoes, particularly in Asia; piracy and marine governance; new ship designs and other technological developments: strategic megatrends like these will profoundly affect the industry.
Jacob Sterling, head of Climate and Environment in Maersk Line, said: "Climate change is a huge challenge for all, and we believe that shipping is not only part of the problem, we can also be part of the solution. We hope that the SSI will deliver an action plan that can strengthen the role of the shipping industry in shaping a low-carbon future".
The founding members aim to bring other leading organisations from across the industry into the SSI, including global shipping firms, shippers and financiers. Members will identify the key megatrends which will affect shipping, explore how best to react to them, and prepare a case for action as a resource for the entire industry.
CEOs and board-level representatives will launch this case for action
at a members' summit in 2011, chaired by Jonathon Porritt. This will
set the agenda for creating a vision of a sustainable shipping industry
and a plan to create a step change in the social, environmental and
economic sustainability of the shipping industry.
The ultimate
goal is to mobilise support across the industry for this action plan,
which may include technical and engineering initiatives, policy
proposals, development programmes for industry leaders and marketing and
communications plans.
"Shipping is the least energy-intensive form of trade transport but, to create a truly sustainable model, we still have to find ways to lessen our impact on the planet. The members of the SSI are proven industry leaders with a clear view of how to manage the challenges ahead," said Tom Boardley, Marine Director, Lloyd's Register.
