Page 56 - European Energy Innovation - spring 2018 publication

56 Spring 2018 European Energy Innovation

SHIPPING

Shipping as responsible sector
contributing to a sustainable
society

By Martin Dorsman, Secretary General of ECSA, European Community Shipowners’ Associations

Shipping is the backbone of
global trade, enabling import
and export of affordable
goods on a scale that is
not possible for any other transport
mode. Maritime transport has been
a catalyst for economic development
and prosperity throughout the history.
Around 90% of world trade is carried
by the international shipping industry.
It is the most efficient transport mode
when large amounts of manufactured
items or bulk transport of raw material
need to be transported, within Europe
and between continents. There are
over 50 000 merchant ships trading
internationally, transporting every kind
of cargo. Shipping contributes around
3% to the total global emissions of
CO2. The shipping industry recognizes
the need to have an ambitious global
CO2 reduction policy in place, to
contribute to the limitation of the
increase of the global temperature.
In this way shipping is taking its
responsibility and is part of the answer
in the fight against global warming.

REDUCTION OF EMISSIONS TO THE
WATER
The reduction of emissions by the
world fleet is already for many decades
on the agenda of the regulatory
bodies governing the shipping
industry. Impressive results are already
realized when we talk about emissions
to the sea. The amount of oil spills was
greatly reduced due to for example
the requirement that oil tankers have
a double hull. Toxic anti fouling was
forbidden and replaced by bio friendly
solutions. Emissions to the air are
now also being lowered, with global

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