PORT OF QUÉBEC CELEBRATES NEW PARTNERSHIP AS RIGHTSHIP SUPPORTS ECOCARGO EMISSIONS REDUCTION INITIATIVE
06/08/2022
Tool to measure greenhouse gas emissions saves money and the planet
Québec City, June 8, 2022 – RightShip, the world’s leading maritime due diligence organisation, is pleased to announce that the oldest port in Canada - the Port of Québec - joins a growing list of organisations using its proprietary greenhouse gas (GHG) rating tool, to assess the emissions of ships entering its waters. The Port now offers discounts on port fees to vessels, dependent on their GHG Rating and emission efficiency.
RightShip’s GHG Rating provides a transparent method to assess the relative efficiency of vessels and compare a ship’s CO2 emissions relative to peer vessels of a similar size and type, using an easy-to-interpret A to G scale.
Using the RightShip rating system enables the Port of Québec to measure - and then manage - the emissions of vessels travelling in and out of the 35km² site via its EcoCargo initiative. EcoCargo is designed to drive shipping decarbonisation through fee reduction incentives based on RightShip data or by a ship owner’s level of achievement within the Green Marine environmental certification program. This initiative could help reduce potentially harmful effects on local populations and environment, ultimately creating a safer landscape with improved air quality.
As Port of Québec CEO Mario Girard explained: “Environmental management is more than just an obligation for us: it’s a civic responsibility and business priority as well. It is our profound conviction that the long-term development of the maritime industry is directly linked to the way ports and other industry actors prioritise innovative environmental measures as they conduct business.
“That’s why we want to encourage others to think the way we do, with discounts applied to harbour dues for those committing to think sustainably. Different RightShip GHG ratings earn different discounts for ship owners, beginning with a 30% discount for an A rating, 20% for a B rating, and 10% for a C rating. With this incentive, we are rewarding the best performances in ship emissions. It’s a constructive approach that allows ship owners to save on fees, while also lessening our collective carbon footprint.”
Tam Pham, Senior Sustainability Advisor at RightShip, commented: “We’re proud to be driving reporting that can incentivise the maritime industry to increase its energy efficiency through the EcoCargo scheme with the Québec Port Authority. While government incentives are key for decarbonisation, ports and terminals also shoulder the responsibility of making zero-harm shipping cost-effective, in an industry which can often see a lag between innovation and uptake due to long lead times on vessel upgrades and retrofits.”
“We’re confident that we can work with partners across the globe to increase the number of ports using schemes like this one. From South America to Africa to Asia, it is clear ports are taking decarbonisation seriously through this and other green schemes – it’s our role to make their ideas measurable and documented.”
RightShip CEO, Steen Lund, added: “We enable thousands of voyagers a year to complete safe and sustainable journeys. The power of collaboration is in RightShip’s DNA. We know we share an industry-wide desire to deliver zero-harm shipping and working in partnership with the Port of Québec and others shows that we can help make a zero-harm maritime industry possible.”
RightShip are also in talks to initiate similar programmes across South America and APAC.
About RightShip
Established in 2001, RightShip is the world’s leading maritime due diligence organisation, providing expertise in global safety, sustainability and social responsibility practices. Founded with the mission to drive operational improvements in the global shipping industry, more than 3,000 people use RightShip’s due diligence, environmental and inspections services to help them manage risk and improve overall maritime safety standards.
https://www.rightship.com
Media contact: Rob Hunt, Aspectus Group – [email protected] / +44 7969 149 257
About Port of Québec / EcoCargo
Among the top five ports in Canada in terms of tonnage handled and economic benefits, the Port of Québec is strategically located to best serve North America’s industrial and agricultural heartland. Yearly, cargo ships from or bound for some fifty countries call at the Port of Québec to connect the Great Lakes and Midwestern U.S. markets to the rest of the world. As a cornerstone for the trans-shipment of solid and liquid bulk cargo along the St. Lawrence, the Port of Québec is part of supply chains for the steel, mining, agri-food, construction and energy sectors.
Launched in December 2021, the EcoCargo program was established to encourage shipowners to adopt environmentally friendly practices and reduce their environmental footprint. The program is a concrete initiative aimed at accelerating the green shift in port operations as the Port of Québec pursues its mission to promote Canadian foreign trade.
Media contact: Frédéric Lagacé, Communications Director – [email protected] / 418 929-5031
About Green Marine
Founded in 2007, Green Marine’s North American environmental certification program is marking its 15th year as a voluntary effort by the shipping industry to go beyond regulations. There are currently more than 170 ship owners, port authorities, terminal and shipyard operators throughout Canada and the United States participating in the program. The Green Marine certification process is rigorous and transparent: the results are independently verified every two years and each participant’s results are published annually. A pivotal element of Green Marine’s success from the outset has been the active support from environmental stakeholders, the scientific community, and governments. A good number of the more than 90 supporters participate in reviewing and shaping the environmental program.
Media contact: Manon Lanthier, Communications Manager – [email protected] / 418 569-5510
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