Environmental excellence the aim for global initiative
With 70 members in 10 European countries, Green Marine Europe is hastening the maritime sector’s net zero transition.
“Green Marine Europe was launched in 2020 as a European adaptation of the Green Marine program, a successful North American environmental certification initiative for the maritime industry. It was developed by collaborating with Surfrider Foundation Europe and Green Marine,” explains Antidia Citores, General Manager.
Citores says the program’s vision is to accelerate the maritime sector’s ecological transition by providing shipowners, shipyards and, soon, ports, with a structured framework for continuous environmental improvement: “Green Marine Europe fosters collaboration between industry stakeholders, environmental organisations, and scientific experts to address key sustainability challenges such as greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity protection, and waste management.”
The Green Marine Europe certification is a voluntary and transparent process designed to help the European maritime industry improve its environmental performance. The process involves four key steps. The first of these is self-evaluation. Citores elaborates: “Candidates assess their fleet’s environmental performance using a set of 11 performance indicators covering emissions, biodiversity, waste, and underwater noise.”
The next step is third-party verification according to Citores: “Independent auditors verify the self-assessment results to ensure credibility and compliance with Green Marine Europe's rigorous standards.”
After this, shipowners will then receive a performance rating – a ranking from 1 to 5, with level 1 corresponding to regulatory compliance and level 5 representing industry leadership.
The final phase is continuous Improvement. “To maintain certification, the participants must demonstrate year-over-year progress, as the program’s requirements evolve based on new environmental challenges and technological advancements,” says Citores.
The entire certification process typically takes a few months, depending on the company's preparedness and the scheduling of the independent verification. “It is renewed annually, encouraging companies to improve their sustainability efforts continuously,” she confirms.
Tangible and strategic benefits
Green Marine Europe aims to provide participants with tangible and strategic benefits. “The program enhances a participant's environmental legitimacy, as results are verified by a third party and publicly disclosed,” Citores states.
The program also goes beyond compliance, potentially allowing its participants to anticipate future regulations and reduce legal risks. Operational efficiency and value represent further possible gains from environmental improvements, as these often lead to cost savings, such as fuel efficiency and better waste management.
Furthermore, the program offers a competitive advantage, according to Citores: “Certified participants stand out in the industry, responding to increasing customer and investor demands for sustainability.” As well as this, Green Marine Europe also say they foster collaboration with NGOs, scientists, and policymakers, encouraging innovation and best practices.
Another development to be considered is new and upcoming environmental criteria. “The certification is evolving to address emerging sustainability challenges, such as circular economy practices and alternative fuels,” says Citores. “In that perspective, we joined the CirclesOfLife consortium to work on European standards related to shipyards with a life cycle assessment approach.”
A cross-sectoral collaboration means the initiative is seeking to connect maritime stakeholders, from ports and shipyards to technology providers and researchers, and creating a holistic approach to sustainability. Plus, Green Marine Europe is connected with banks and finance actors, which, as Citores outlines, facilitates “indicators when they intend to invest in green shipping transformation”.
“With increasing pressure on the maritime industry to reduce its environmental footprint, Green Marine Europe is positioning itself as a leading driver of sustainable change, providing the European maritime industry with the tools and framework to move towards a greener future,” concludes Citores.
Image: a Stena Line ferry making way to the Port of Gothenburg; the Swedish operation is part of Green Marine Europe - credit: Shutterstock.
