Media Advisory: BSR’s Clean Cargo Working Group and the Clean Shipping Index Agree to Explore Potential for Merger

Copenhagen, May 7, 2014 /3BL Media/ — BSR’s Clean Cargo Working Group (CCWG) and the Clean Shipping Index (CSI)—the two leading environmental reporting initiatives for ships and ship operators—signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate for cleaner, more efficient shipping.

Through this agreement, the groups will explore a merger to create one global initiative that provides a uniform set of environmental reporting and assessment tools for cargo owners to use during procurement of shipping services. In the short term, CCWG and CSI will align more of the environmental parameters each organization currently uses.

In the past few years, there has been a proliferation of market-oriented environmental initiatives for the maritime industry. While this has been a positive development for sustainability, the different standards have bred confusion for shippers and carriers.

Directors of CCWG and CSI believe that aligning their work could save costs, allow data to be gathered more efficiently, and help engage more companies to collaborate on sustainability through a single network.

“Alignment behind one initiative is of great importance to the industry and our members, and this will help us more quickly reach our common goal of improving the environmental performance of the transport and logistics supply chain,” said Angie Farrag-Thibault, Project Director of CCWG and Associate Director of BSR’s Transportation and Logistics practice.

“Having a one-stop-shop for evaluating the environmental performance of shipping would make our work more efficient,” added Merijn Hougee, Director, CSR, of CSI. “Creating a global initiative by blending the approach of the two most widely recognized programs is an opportunity that we are proud to be cultivating.”

Clean Cargo Working Group is a global carrier-shipper initiative dedicated to improving the environmental performance of marine container transport. The group comprises approximately 35 member companies with an equal spread of carriers and shippers, including 18 world-liner fleet operators and 18 global shippers and freight forwarders. A full list of members is available at www.bsr.org/cleancargo.

The Clean Shipping Index is a benchmarking tool to evaluate the environmental performance of all types of cargo ships and carriers and is used during procurement of sea transport by a network of large cargo owners. Nineteen of the 20 largest container carriers have entered data into the Index. The Clean Shipping Index covers the major emissions from ships, such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulfur oxide, and also emissions to the sea by waste, on-board use of chemicals in antifouling, lubricants, refrigerants, and cleaning agents. By coordinating a demand for clean ships through the Clean Shipping Network, carriers are encouraged to change over to more environmentally adapted techniques and measures. Visit www.cleanshippingindex.com for more information.

BSR works with its global network of more than 250 member companies to build a just and sustainable world. From its offices in Asia, Europe, and North and South America, BSR develops sustainable business strategies and solutions through consulting, research, and cross-sector collaboration. Visit www.bsr.org for more information about BSR’s more than 20 years of leadership in sustainability.