Green Marine Europe is a environmental certification program for European maritime companies, created in 2020 and coordinated by Surfrider Europe. It is the European version of the label of the same name created in North America by Green Marine.
By annually measuring environmental performance through 8 indicators, its aim is to highlight the commitment of maritime industry stakeholders to reduce their environmental footprint, and to encourage them to continue their efforts in this direction.
Green Marine Europe certification is based on an ecosystem approach to the environment. It addresses other environmental issues specific to the impacts of shipping :
- Waste management
- Underwater noise
- Collision with cetaceans
- End-of-life vessels and recycling
- Wastewater management
External verification of each shipowner, carried out every two years, ensures the certification process' rigor and transparency. Green Marine certification enables the certification of shipowners, shipyards, ports and terminals in North America.
In Europe, shipowners and shipyards can also be certified. Ports could represent the next certification segment. An exprimental phase using the existing standard could be carried out in the second half of 2024.
During the One Ocean Summit, 11 new GME candidates joint the label:
- CMA-CGM
- MSC Croisière
- CPTM - Aranui (Compagnie Polynésienne de Transport Maritime)
- Stena Line
- Plastic Odyssey
- Louis-Dreyfus Armateurs (LDA)
- Compagnie maritime DNO (Manche Iles Express)
- Express des Iles
- Iliens
- SPM Ferries
- TOWT
Since then, they have been joined by CSL International, Bourbon Offshore Surf, CFC and Somara.
500
Committed stakeholders
The program now brings together a community of over 500 stakeholders committed to the ecological transition of maritime transport.
There are 175 certified marine industry stakeholders in North America. More than 75 shipowners are currently participating in the program, including 27 in Europe.
- A 4-fold increase in the number of participants in the Green Marine Europe certification program: 27 shipowners in 2024, compared with 6 in 2019.
- A 10-fold increase in the number of ships in participanting shipowners' fleets: from 50 ships in 2019 to over 500 in 2023.
- Diversified business sectors: passenger ships, container ships, bulk carriers, tugs, offshore vessels, ro-ro ships, service vessels.
Green Marine Europe is now a partner in the Circle of Life consortium, part of the European Commission's Horizon Europe call for projects.
International development prospects
Since its presentation at the One Ocean Summit in February 2022, the label has been pursuing its international development.
Green Marine is now working on three areas of international development: Oceania (Australia), Latin America (Colombia and Brazil) and the Mediterranean (Morocco, Plastic Med...).
In 2024, Green Marine is set to adopt an international governance structure and become Green Marine International. This new governance has the goal to better reflect its network of participants and facilitate Green Marine's development on all continents, mobilizing North American and European experience.
Green Marine Europe is the adaptation of Green Marine’s North American program. Coordinated by Surfrider Foundation Europe, it joins professional actors from the sector and public authorities.
Beyond the 22 laureates or candidates shipping companies, several associations have joined the label process as ambassadors, in particular the association of France shipowners (Armateurs de France), the Royal Association of Netherlands Shipowners (KVNR) and the French Maritime Cluster. In addition, several organizations have agreed to support the process, such as the non-governmental associations Ocean Care, IFAW, the Tara Foundation, and the Commission for Maritime Affairs of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
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