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GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY IN MARITIME – Development, challenges, research
and innovation
Dr. Cristina Steliana Mihailovici
In the last years’ sustainability is the best concept and solution for all our World
affected by the negative impacts of climate change.
When we are talking about sustainability in maritime we are connected not only with
the environment protection problems but we are connected with people issues -
employees and employers, ship-owners or port managers, port authorities,
international organisations or educational institutions - all working together and
planning strategies for the best possible development and implementation of
sustainability strategy in maritime.
Global sustainability must be the first principle taken in account when we are
planning any business and our social responsibility must be focused on the following
equation:
Natural Resources Consumption + Business Profits = Natural Resources
Replenishment + Sustainable Business Planning & Strategies.
Marine management and maritime law supporting global sustainability
Marine management ashore or on board is focus on an efficient implementation for a
health and safety culture balanced by a sustainable culture. Unfortunately, in our
practice we are missing important sustainability's key aspects, even if we are
including them in our sustainability strategies and reports. We are dedicated much
time for planning an effective protection of the marine environment and promoting
renewable energies, but in the same time we must to focus and work more on
seafarers well-being, equality rights, ethics and education in this direction. We must
to find the balance between maritime business industry, environmental protection
and her social impact.
Port managers must to include in their management strategies and plans all global
sustainability aspects and they must to collaborate with other ports, stakeholders,
ship-owners and port authorities to can develop and improve this aspect.
Also, quality management is a very important aspect when we are debate this topic
and ISO 14001 and Environmental Management System are vital elements that we
must to include in any port management strategy for an effective implementation of
global sustainability.
Maritime legislation like MARPOL, Polar Code, Ballast Water Management
Convention are only a few from many others, very strong pylons that are sustaining a
huge block of the protection of marine environment. We are improving more and
more the reduction of air pollution cutting down the dioxide of carbons, sulphurs or
other emissions, recycling garbage and protecting seas and oceans from oil spills or
ballast water.
Last research and statistics are showing how the fishing industry is affected by
pollution and in the end all these aspects are having a social negative impact
reflected even in health population.
Marine pollution represents a continuous challenge for research, innovation and
development of all regulations that are coming to support and help the marine
environment against pollution and dangerous exploitations of all types of marine
natural resources.
Other important aspect for global sustainability concept in maritime represent the
support for seafarers and all employees from the entire maritime domain. Maritime
Labour Convention is coming to support seafarer’s rights and their wellbeing on
board or ashore, giving us their adequate working and resting hours in conformity or
other rights which it helps to improve the seafarer's well-being, but this is not
sufficient and we must to research and develop more this aspect because this
represents an important aspect when we are talking about global sustainability in
maritime.
If we are taking in consideration all aspects of global sustainability in maritime and
how it is reflected by legislation, we cannot leave uncovered the ship recycling
aspects and Hong Kong Convention. Adopted in 2009, the Hong Kong Convention
for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Recycling Ships is coming after Basel
Convention and it is expected to come into force in 2020.
Shipping industry is a huge industry that makes a lot of profit, but after we are
recovering amortization and our ships are ending their life we must to analyse what it
is happening with them, and what impact has all this process to the environment. Is
this process viable for global sustainability?
Most of the ships materials can be recycled and reused, but in the same time we are
speaking about hazardous materials and other substances that are affecting the
health or even life of the workers and this is not acceptable in a World that is focus
on implementing a global sustainability strategy.
Health and safety are always taken the first place in the maritime industry and in this
case we cannot make any exception but we can develop more our research to find
new tools, instruments and methods adequate for recycling ships.
Green energy, research and innovation
Speaking about green energy, about new technologies and innovation or about
employees and efficient strategies implementation ashore and on board means that
we care and we want to develop more sustainability projects in maritime.
Using green fuel, cutting down toxic emissions or reducing and managing effective
the waste or ballast water are important rules now in maritime.
Solar sail system, rig sail system or kite sail system are hybrid systems that can help
ships to reduce their fuel consumption by 20 till 40 percent annually.
Wind energy, solar energy or waves energy are powerful green options but all these
renewable energies must to be more researched and developed because they have
many positive aspects, but in the same time some negatives ones like noise, for
example.
We must to work together and to balance all aspects for an effective implementation
of global sustainability strategy and this means projects, research, innovation and
collaboration between all maritime players: ship-owners, port managers, port
authorities, companies or maritime and educational institutions.
Global sustainability in maritime, Cristina Steliana Mihailovici
Good faith and social responsibility
EU was including in the last report 2018 dedicated to a sustainable finance the value
of a good faith.
In the maritime industry the principle of good faith represents a key in all contracts –
from insurance contracts till charters or other type of contracts recycling ships till –
good faith is part from all maritime business industry.
Good faith in promoting and develop a global sustainability culture in maritime is vital
in our days and all leaders in maritime must to include it in their strategies.
Social responsibility must to come especially from education and specific trainings
dedicated to the protection of the marine environment, seafarer’s rights and well-
being or a healthy maritime industry that is taking always in consideration the global
sustainability plans and emergencies.
We don't need many tragedies to can realize the risks of climate change, of not
connecting people in the right direction, of not respecting human rights or making
financial plans for a short term that are affecting costs, resources and the entire
maritime business.
Collaboration, projects, regulations and actions plans are required for a long term,
with all maritime professionals involved.
Global sustainability is our responsibility!
Conclusions
Global sustainability strategy must to be included in all areas of the maritime
industry. From maritime transport, economics, logistics, insurance till the tourism
aspect of all this business.
Planning and managing maritime business on long term and thinking first on global
sustainability should make a difference that will bring a positive impact on our
environment, economy and human resources.
In the last years we are focus on important aspects of global sustainability in
maritime, like: climate change, seafarer’s rights and well-being, ballast water
management, maritime security, renewable energy, reducing fuel consumption or
cutting down air emissions.
The challenge is coming from what we need to improve and develop more in the
next future, because thinking on a global sustainability strategy in maritime on long
term means to work on a continuous improvement in all areas.
I choose some important of them and split it in three categories of important
resources - “R.E.S.”:
three “R”s: responsibility, research and renewable energy.
three important “E”s that always are requiring improvement: education,
equality and ethics.
Three “S”s: safety, security and support for all seafarers and professionals
from all maritime industry.
Ship-owners, shipping companies, Classification Societies, Port State Control, IMO,
all port authorities, academic, educational and training institutions must to
collaborate together taking in consideration all mentioned elements to can we can go
confident in the right direction for an effective implementation of global sustainability
strategy in all maritime domain.
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