Can Green Award develop a certification scheme for inland shipping that would be simple, affordable and ambitious, but still manageable? A scheme that would give recognition and motivation to the inland shipping?
Green Award didn’t have to think long before answering these questions coming from inland shipping organizations and Dutch ports. The idea was in line with the Green Award’s mission and the timing was right. Green Award came in action, talked to ship owners and ports, developed a set of requirements and met preconditions like crew, financing and embedding in the existing organisation.
The requested certification scheme has been developed and the ambition is that it will
- lead to recognition and motivation of clean ships
- serve as a tool for charterers to choose clean ships
Background
Green Award for the inland shipping comes from the Green Award scheme established in 1994 in order to promote quality shipping amongst sea-going vessels. All over the world Green Award certifies ships, ship managers and oil companies that prove their dedication to high quality, safety and environmental standards. The benefits for extra clean and extra safe ships include image improvement, charterers’ preference, reduction on port dues, discounts on pilotage services and various trainings, reimbursement by a bank for a part of the certification costs etc.
Requirements
The Green Award requirements for the inland shipping are compact and apply to the technical equipment on board and to the crew. A ship needs to score a minimum number of points in order to be certified.
A Green Award surveyor assesses if a ships is eligible for the certification during a two-hour inspection on board.
Requirements include the following items:
• Compliance with CCR 2 emission level for main engines
• Compliance with CCR 2 emission level for auxiliary engines
• Dry bilge
• Propeller shaft seals
• High-level alarm in fuel bunkers
• Closed grey water system
• Connection for OPS
• Course ‘Smart steaming’
• Fuel consumption monitor / cruise control
• Waste management plan
Ships
Initially the program is open for dry cargo ships, tankers, container ships and push barges. Later it can be possibly expanded to other ship types.
Currently 13 ship owners (30 ships) signed a letter of intent. It’s expected that 50 ships will enter the program during the first year, and the goal is to have 550-600 ships certified in the fifth year.
Finance
During the first 5 years the Green Award scheme for inland shipping will be supported financially by the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment and the seaports of the National Ports Council of the Netherlands. Due to their contribution the price of a certificate with validity of 3 years can be kept as low as € 400. The ports are considering a possibility to provide reduction on port dues to clean ships certified by Green Award in order to attract more vessels to the scheme.
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