Norway reveals Green Coastal Shipping programme

Norway’s Minister of Trade and Industry, Monica Mæland, and State Secretary for Climate and Environment, Lars Andreas Lunde, have signed a declaration of cooperation with key players in the Norwegian coastal shipping industry.

DNV GL’s initiative to launch a Green Coastal Shipping programme aims to ensure that Norway will have one of the world's most environmentally friendly and efficient coastal shipping industries in the future.

The Green Coastal Shipping programme has been developed to help implement the government's new maritime strategy and will be a joint effort by several industries, ministries and state departments. The programme will provide an important contribution to the achievement of both national and global climate goals and will also help to reduce air pollution. It will also be a driver for innovation and green workplaces, and will eventually provide major export opportunities for the maritime, energy and supplier industries.

The declaration has been signed by a total of 18 companies and organisations, together with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Seafood policy and Ministry of Climate and Environment. In cooperation with the parties, a programme plan will be established, describing the programme's activities in detail.

DNV GL's Deputy Group CEO, Remi Eriksen, said: "We can achieve this if we want to. There are many examples of incentives driving forward a green shift. The technology is there, but we have to scale up its use considerably in order to maintain our international position."

Monica Mæland said: "The shipping industry is very well equipped to lead the way in the green shift. This can contribute to exports of good, future-oriented and environmentally friendly solutions. I'm sure DNV GL's expertise and experience in shipping will help to maintain Norway's position as a world leader in the maritime industry."

Tine Sundtoft, the Minister of Climate and Environment, commented: "This year, the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris is to negotiate a new climate agreement that will entail new obligations and the implementation of new climate measures. For this reason, more ships must use environmentally friendly fuels, such as gas and battery power, and we must see more ships with new energy-efficient designs. The green shift in the maritime industry will both resolve environmental challenges and create value."

DNV GL's Narve Mjøs, who is the programme director for the Green Coastal Shipping programme, added: "We envisage a fleet of offshore vessels, tankers, cargo, container, bulk and passenger ships, ferries, fishing and aquaculture vessels, tugs and other coastal vessels, run entirely or partly using batteries, LNG or other green fuels."

Adapted from press release by Callum O'Reilly

Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/small-scale-lng/16012015/norway-announces-green-coastal-shipping-programme-062/