Key Areas of Debate
Emissions:
Too little, too late? Shipping is in the cross hairs of the media for its contribution to global warming. Is the industry doing enough to tackle this or will regulators need to step in? Are SECAs the answer? What should be the global cap on sulphur content?
Ship design:
To be a good corporate citizen in shipping requires looking after your assets from birth to death. Investing in more expensive yet more environmentally friendly ships is not yet mandatory but it may well become so. Some gizmos onboard have been branded as ‘greenwashing’, others promise a whole new form of cargo transportation. Just how much energy can be saved through groundbreaking maritime technology?
Scrapping:
Beaching a rusting thirty-year-old ship on an impoverished Indian slice of coastline is not acceptable. What solutions are at hand for ship recycling?
CSR - Communities:
Shipowners make vast sums transporting raw materials from normally poor places. Should a socially responsible owner give something back to the local community? Are charitable donations enough to be deemed a caring company?
CSR - Employee welfare:
It’s not just a PR stunt to ensure your employees at sea are content these days. There is, unquestionably, a coming crunch for capable crews that will affect world shipping. How then to ensure crew happiness, career progression and by extension crew retention in turn ensuring world trade continues to flourish safely?
UN Global Compact:
Is this a viable charter for shipping? Should more firms sign up for it? Many public transport firms have signed a voluntary sustainable charter. Should shipping create its own voluntary code of conduct and what should it include?