Fednav

From Green Policy

Fednav Environmental Policy

Source: http://www2.fednav.com/anglais/enviropolicystatement_en.html
 

Policy Statement

At Fednav we understand that our business has an impact on the environment. While shipping remains the most environmentally friendly form of transportation for the majority of the world’s goods and commodities, ships and their airborne and waterborne emissions affect our natural surroundings. We are keenly aware of, and committed to, our responsibility to conduct our business in an ethical and sustainable manner.

The Fednav Group is dedicated to the continuous improvement of our operational performance in order to reduce our environmental footprint. As leaders in the international shipping industry, Fednav conducts business in a thoughtful, responsible way, with a view to preventing pollution and safeguarding our natural environment.

The Fednav Group is committed to:

• Maintaining a corporate environmental policy and setting standards to operate in a environmentally responsible manner, with additional emphasis on minimizing adverse environmental impact
• Complying with, in letter and in spirit, and exceeding where possible, all applicable standards, requirements, laws, rules and regulations, as well as continual adoption, if not introduction, of industry best practices
• Preventive identification and evaluation of environmental risk, along with the implementation of measures to eliminate or control that risk
• Communication and promotion of awareness, accountability, and environmental responsibility among our employees, customers, partners, suppliers, as well as government, the public, and other stakeholders
• Reducing waste and pollution through recycling, conservation, education, and efficient use of resources
• Including protection of the environment as a critical factor in business decisions
• Providing industry leadership on environmental matters
• Investing in and supporting research and development of environmentally directed industry programs

Issues and Policies

The critical environmental issues facing the shipping industry can be separated into several broad categories:

• Emissions (including energy efficiency and consumption of fossil fuels)
• Ballast water and Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS)
• Cargo Residues
• Waste Management (including oily wastes, spills, and leakages)

As part of our commitment to reduce our environmental footprint, specific policies, objectives, and solutions have been developed for individual issues. Annual targets are established and progress is measured through industry programmes such as Green Marine’s partnership for the St. Lawrence and Great Lakes maritime industry, or through Fednav’s in-house performance indicators. These indicators are reviewed regularly as part of our drive for continuous improvement.

Ballast Water

CONTEXT


Vessels take on ballast water for reasons of trim, stability and safety. When ballast water is taken on in one part of the world, and then discharged in another, as required by cargo operations, it may be an unintentional source of non-indigenous aquatic species that may threaten the marine ecosystem of the receiving area. 

Given that proper management of ballast water is essential to minimize the risk of introduction of non-indigenous species in the marine environment, the Fednav Group has adopted the following policy and objectives and distributed to all vessels within the fleet as operational guidelines for their implementation.

It must be recognized that issues of safety are predominant at all times.

POLICY 

1. Fednav requires that all vessels within its fleet comply with all applicable international, national, and local ballast water requirements [1] 
2. Regardless of whether required under local or national rules, Fednav is committed to effecting ballast water exchange at sea and salt water flushing of empty ballast tanks whenever operationally feasible and safe. 
3. The masters of all Fednav vessels are provided with appropriate operational guidelines for the management of ballast water and must confirm in writing that they have understood these procedures. 
4. For vessels which are owned by companies within the Fednav Group, the technical managers are required to carry out inspections of ballast tanks annually and remove sediments during dry docking and as required.
5. Annual performance targets for ballast water are established and progress is measured through industry programs such as Green Marine and through Fednav's in-house environmental performance indicators. 
6. The Fednav Group is actively involved in the testing of ballast water treatment technologies with the objective of minimizing the risk of transfer and introduction of non-indigenous aquatic species.
7. The Fednav Group is working with state and federal authorities to develop effective interim treatment practices and procedures, prending the commercial availability of internationally and nationally approved onboard treatment systems.
   
   
   
   [1] International, national, and local requirements for the management of ballast water are communicated to vessels through Fednav International Ltd. Operations Department, shipowners/shipmanagers and/or local ship agents. These include such requirements as the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships Ballast Water and Sediments, the Canadian Ballast Water Control and Management Regulations, and the Shipping Federation of Canada Code of Best Practices for Ballast Water Management
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   Oily Wastes

   
   CONTEXT 

   Ship-related discharges of oil at sea may result from accidental spills or operational discharges. 

   Ship operational discharges can be defined as the management and disposal of oily waste from machinery spaces. Although vessel operations inevitably generate a certain amount of wastes, including oily wastes, one of the objectives of the Fednav Group’s Environmental Policy is to minimize the generation of these wastes in the first place through effective maintenance of all equipment and machinery. Thereafter, any residual oily bilge water wastes and oily residue (sludge) must be properly handled.

   The Fednav Group has a zero-tolerance policy for intentional and illegal disposal of oil at sea. This commitment forms the basis of the Fednav Group’s policy regarding operational discharges of oily wastes.

   
   POLICY

   Owned vessels

   1.  Fednav-owned vessels are required to strictly adhere to:

   a.  International, national, and local requirements for the prevention of oil pollution from ships [1]

   b.  All procedures are outlined by the vessels’ managers within their environmental management system, and more specifically procedures relating to bilge water and waste oil management

   c.  The Shipping Federation of Canada’s Code of Best Practices for Managing Oily Water Waste in Ships’ Engine Rooms or equivalent and/or more stringent procedures

   2.  At the time of joining a Fednav vessel, all officers and crew members are required to sign a declaration confirming their agreement with a statement made by the CEO of Fednav’s ship managers which states that all officers and crew observe full compliance with all pollution prevention regulations as a matter of corporate policy.

   3.  Sludge oil is to be collected and properly disposed of through either onboard incineration (in accordance with local and international regulations) or landed ashore. Onboard incinerators must not be used in ports, harbours, or estuaries. 

   4.  Necessary financial resources are dedicated to shore-based disposal of sludge or other oily waste. This will ensure that vessels do not hesitate to proceed with disposal ashore of these wastes whenever needed.

   5.  All officers are to be provided with proper training in the operation of the oily water separator (OWS) and handling of oily wastes. Furthermore, environmental awareness training is to be provided for all crew members.

   Time-chartered vessels

   1.  Vessels time chartered to the Fednav Group:

   • Are expected to strictly comply with international, national, and local requirements for the prevention of oil pollution from ships[2]
   • Are asked to adhere to the Shipping Federation of Canada’s Code of Best Practices for Managing Oily Water Waste in Ships’ Engine Rooms or equivalent and/or more stringent procedures

   2.  Pre-vetting system and Environmental, Quality, and Safety Inspection (EQSI): Ship vetting for time chartered tonnage is the process under which relevant information is reviewed in order to assess whether a ship should be acceptable for charter for Fednav[3].

   In addition to the pre-vetting system, vessels under Fednav charter are regularly inspected by an independent third party and detailed inspection reports are provided to the Fednav Group under an EQSI system[4]. Vessels of concern are inspected on a more regular basis and the Fednav Group closely monitors the implementation of corrective measures by the owners[5].

   The aim of the pre-vetting process and the subsequent EQSI system is to ensure as much as possible the quality of the chartered tonnage and thus assist in minimizing environmental threats in general, including the risks of oil pollution in particular.

    

   [1] International, national, and local requirements are communicated to Fednav vessels through our ship managers and/or local ship agents. These include but are not limited to Annex 1 of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) and the Canadian Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships.

    

    

    

   [2] International, national, and local requirements are communicated to Fednav’s vessels through our ship managers and/or local ship agents

   [3] Information reviewed includes age of the vessel, classification society, past experience with owners and managers, previous port state records of the ship, etc.

   [4] The Fednav Group’s EQSI extend to structural aspects (e.g., conditions of the hulls), communication procedures (e.g., emergency communication system), navigational issues (e.g., implementation of passage planning), as well as onboard systems, equipment, and procedures with regard to environmental protection, etc.

   [5] Although the Fednav Group has set up this inspection system to assist in ensuring the quality of vessels time chartered under its fleet, owners of these vessels remain responsible for navigation, crewing and compliance with international, national and local pollution prevention regulations.

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   Accidental Oil Spills/Leakages

   CONTEXT
   
   
   Ship-related discharges of oil at sea may result from accidental spills or operational discharges.

   Accidental spills may occur upon a collision, grounding, fire, or explosion. Although accidents cannot be completely avoided, Fednav has implemented a series of measures, including modifications to the design of its vessels, to limit the risks of accidental spills that may occur when vessels collide or come in distress at sea.

   The Fednav Group has a zero-tolerance policy for intentional and illegal disposal of oil at sea.

   
   POLICY
   
   
   Owned vessels

   1.  Design and Hull Maintenance: Owned vessels delivered after 1992 have been equipped with double bottom oil fuel tanks located in the centre and aft position of the vessel (away from the outer shell) to reduce the risk of side or forward bottom impact in the event of groundings or collisions. Internal tank inspections are undertaken at intervals not exceeding one year and tank coatings is properly maintained in accordance with shipmanagers’ guidelines to prevent oil pollution due to hull failure.

   2.  Bunkering Procedures: Bunkering operations are made under the constant watch of a responsible officer to prevent oil pollution from tank overflow during bunkering operations. Bunkering operations are conducted in accordance with shipmanagers’ procedures.
   
   3.  Biodegradable lubricating oil: Use of biodegradable lubricating oil when feasible to limit pollution in the event of an accidental outflow of lubricating oil from propulsion equipment.

   4.  Minimization of risk of human errors through bridge team management, passage planning, training and use of latest electronic navigation technologies: Vessels are required to strictly follow the Collision Regulations and the Principles of Bridge Team Management and to carry proper passage planning as per ship managers’ guidelines. All officers undergo bridge and machinery simulator training as part of the training program. All Fednav-owned vessels are equipped with electronic charts and have access to weather routing information providing updated and real time navigational information.

   Time-chartered vessels

   1.  Pre-vetting system and Environmental, Quality, and Safety Inspection (EQSI): (See Policy on Oily Wastes)

   2.  Weather routing information: All vessels within the Fednav fleet (owned and time- chartered) have access to weather routing services with constant updated data and expert route recommendations to minimize the risks of accidents at sea.

    

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   Energy Efficiency

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   Air Emissions

   CONTEXT

   A fundamental part of Fednav’s efforts to reduce air emissions (see Air Emissions Policy) is achieved through reductions in fuel consumption.

   The Fednav Group is accordingly committed to reducing fuel consumption through improved design of its vessels, better operational practices, and implementation of new technologies. Over the last decade, energy efficiency (fuel consumption) of the Fednav fleet has been significantly improved—the daily bunker consumption of a typical 35,000 MT deadweight ocean-going lake vessel [1] has improved from 36 MT/ per day in the early 1980s to just below 29 MT/per day for vessels built in 2000 [2], a reduction of nearly 20%. The Fednav Group expects to further reduce daily bunker consumption on some of its upcoming Lake vessels to about 24 MT/per day (see measures below).

   While the Fednav Group’s efforts to reduce bunker consumption have been primarily dictated by commercial realities [3], energy conservation and efficiency are part of the Fednav Group’s commitment to the continuous improvement of its environmental performance.

   Ship operations result in air emissions such as nitrogen oxides (NO_x), sulphur oxides (SO_x), particulate matters (PM), and carbon dioxide (CO₂), which affect local and regional air quality and may contribute to climate change. Improvements in energy efficiency through reduction in fuel consumption translates into proportional reduction of CO₂ emissions as well as reductions of SO_x, NO_x, and PM emissions [4].
   
   
   POLICY
    

   Owned vessels

   • Planned and Preventive Maintenance: The performance of engines is carefully managed through a planned and preventive maintenance program to ensure that vessels are operated at an optimum level.
   • Hull fouling: Use of anti-fouling hull coating prevents underperformance of the vessel due to marine growth. The Fednav Group has been using environmental friendly anti-fouling paint (i.e., tributyltin-(TBT) free) on all its owned vessels well in advance of the 2008 International Maritime Organization (IMO) mandatory deadline.
   • Hull cleaning: Whenever hull fouling is discovered, hull cleaning is arranged at the earliest opportunity.
   • Redesign and technological improvements on new and existing ships: Introduction of additional energy saving features on new and existing vessels as part of the Fednav Group’s efforts to continuously improve energy efficiency per tonne of cargo transported within its fleet. Such new features include:
     • Oshima seaworthy bow to reduce speed loss in rough sea conditions on the latest version of the Oshima-type vessels.
     • Oshima hi-lift rudder to increase maneuverability at low speed (i.e., safe navigation at low speed/low fuel consumption conditions).
     • Retrofitting of Oshima flipper fins to increase propeller efficiency on all Oshima-type Lakes vessels [5] as well as on the Jiangnan class. This is expected to lead to up to 5% fuel oil saving on a per vessel basis [6].
   • Ship operations  (applicable to owned and time-chartered vessels):
     
     
     
     • Access to weather routing to optimize efficiency of passages which in turn reduces bunker consumption (always subject to the safety of the crew and the vessel).
     • Speed adjustments to reduce fuel consumption (by reducing the speed of the vessel to arrive at the best opportune time at the next port always subject to the safety of the crew and the vessel).
     • Instruction given to vessels to optimize cargo lift (trimming and loading conditions) to reduce the amount of ballast (i.e.,energy efficiency by ensuring that vessels carry maximum cargo per tonne of fuel).

   Time-chartered vessels

   Although several energy efficiency measures result from technological improvements that are beyond the authority of the Fednav Group as a time charterer, reduction of fuel consumption remains a primary objective for the operations of the time-chartered fleet as well. This translates into:

   • Best efforts to ensure the quality of the time-chartered tonnage using the Fednav Group’s “pre-vetting system” and ongoing Environmental, Quality, and Safety Inspections over the period of the time charter. Quality, well-maintained vessels are more likely to be energy efficient.
   • Hull cleaning: Whenever hull fouling is discovered, arrange for hull cleaning at earliest opportunity.
   • Ship Operations: The Fednav Group applies the same operational measures to time-chartered and owned vessels to reduce fuel consumption including access to weather routing, speed adjustments, and instructions to optimize the cargo lift.

   
   

   [1] Ocean-going Lakes vessels are bulk carriers built to the specificities of the Great Lakes; i.e., with a restriction on the length and beam to navigate through the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Seaway system.

   [2] The daily bunker consumption is for an average speed of 14 knots.

   [3] Fuel represents an important percentage of the fleet’s operational costs.

   [4] NO_{x emissions can also be reduced through engine technology solutions which improve the combustion process of ship’s engines or by using exhaust after-treatment such as selective catalytic reductions.}

   [5] Oshima-type Lakes vessels within the Fednav fleet: eight owned and three time-chartered vessels. Jiangnan class: five vessels

   [6] Implementation of the seaworthy bow, the Oshima hi-lift rudder and the Oshima flipper fins is expected to reduce the daily consumption to about 24 MT/day on three new Oshima vessels to be delivered to the Fednav Group over the next six years.

    

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   Waste Management

   
   
   
   CONTEXT
   
   
   “Marine litter is an environmental, economic, health and aesthetic problem. It can cause death to wildlife and threaten marine and coastal biodiversity. Some 8 million items of marine litter have been estimated to enter the sea every day.” [1]
   
   The Fednav Group is committed to continually minimizing generation of solid and liquid wastes onboard its vessels, reusing, recycling, and practicing proper waste disposal in accordance with national and international regulations [2] .
   
   
   POLICY

   Owned vessels

   1.  Sewage: All sewage onboard Fednav-owned vessels is processed through an approved biological sewage treatment plant. In the event of a temporary failure of the treatment plant, the sewage can be directed to a permanent or temporary holding tank. The performance of the sewage treatment plant is tested at regular intervals in accordance with the Great Lakes Industry Voluntary Testing Program for Marine Sanitation Device and/or more stringent procedures. All owned and time-chartered vessels are provided with a summary of the sewage and grey water regulations for Canada and the United States (Great Lakes) to ensure awareness of the requirements and the no-discharge zones.

   2.  Garbage: Owned vessels are equipped with a Garbage Management Plan in accordance with Annex V of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) and onboard training takes place to ensure that all crew members are aware of the requirements for proper garbage management. Instructions are given to minimize garbage generation and garbage segregation is done at source. Vessels are instructed to request suppliers to limit the use of plastic packing materials whenever possible and disposed of any lining and packing materials from ship supply at the port reception facilities whenever feasible.

   3.  Newbuildings and retrofitting: All new owned vessels constructed for the St. Lawrence and Great Lakes trade are fitted with extra storage capacity for sewage treated water and grey water considering the length of voyages at sea and the increased number of no-discharge zones. Existing vessels dedicated to this trade are also being modified to increase the storage capacity.

   4.  Incinerator and shore disposal: Onboard incinerators are used for waste items not recommended for recycling. Incinerators are not to be used in ports, harbours, or estuaries. Necessary financial resources are dedicated to shore-based disposal of solid and liquid wastes. This is to ensure that vessels do not hesitate to proceed with disposal ashore whenever needed.

   Time chartered vessels
   

   1.  Environmental, Quality, and Safety Inspection (EQSI): Vessels under Fednav tonnage are regularly inspected by an independent third party and detailed inspection reports are provided to the Fednav Group under an Environmental, Quality, and Safety Inspection (EQSI) system. The scope of this inspection extent to maintenance and functioning of the sewage treatment plants on board time chartered vessels as well as to garbage management practices. Vessels of concern are inspected on a more regular basis and the Fednav Group closely monitors the implementation of corrective measures by the owners [3].

    

   [2] These include but are not limited to Annex V of MARPOL which regulates the disposal of garbage from vessels, Annex IV of MARPOL which regulates the prevention of pollution from sewage from ships, the Canadian Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships and for Dangerous Chemicals and the relevant American requirements (e.g., no-discharge zones for the Great Lakes), etc.
   

   [3] Although the Fednav Group has set up this inspection system to assist in ensuring the quality of vessels time chartered under its fleet, owners of these vessels remain responsible for navigation, crewing and compliance with international, national and local pollution prevention regulations.

   [1] “Ecosystems and biodiversity in deep waters and high seas”, 2006, United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), Regional Seas
   
   
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   Green Marine

    

   Green Marine is a voluntary, bi-national programme aimed at strengthening the marine industry’s environmental performance through various means—by promoting a process of continuous improvement, by building stronger relations with Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Waterway stakeholders, and by raising awareness of the industry's activities.

    

   With the support of the eight regional marine associations and along with other key industry leaders that comprise the Green Marine CEO Steering Committee, Laurence G. Pathy, Fednav President and CEO, is a participating member and collaborator committed to ensuring that the maritime industry speaks as one in raising the public profile of Green Marine and its goals.

    

   For more information, consult the Green Marine website: http://www.green-marine.org.