Hamburg Bulk: Shipping Industry Must Get Clean

Shipping has "reacted very slowly" to environmental rules, said von Husen

Germany and Singapore-based Hamburg Bulk Carriers (HBC) Managing Director Jens von Husen has said that the shipping industry "must get clean" to avoid being burdened by "stranded assets," Tradewinds reports.

"Surely, we as an industry, together with our customers, must follow what other established industries started many years ago," said von Husen.

He added that shipping had been "very slow" to react to environmental challenges facing shippers, such as this year's imposition of tougher sulfur caps for marine fuel in Emissions Control Areas (ECAs).

Von Husen pointed to the fact that manufacturers of land vehicles have been in "head-to-head competition" to devise energy efficient and low polluting engines for some time.

"This is strange since the focus of 'total resource consumption' and 'total resource effectiveness' has even made its way to Wall Street."

If the shipping industry does not rise to the challenge of developing more fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly ships, it risks large sections of the global fleet becoming "stranded assets."

The finance industry may begin to place a lower value on lower performing ships and freight customers will begin to pay closer attention to ECA regulations, predicted von Husen.

"The goal is clear and we are happy to fire the starting shot at our industry and to invite more of our customers and related industries to join us in getting there, namely zero-emission vessels," stressed von Husen, taking delivery of the first two of 10 newbuild ships said to undercut the Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) benchmark by almost a third.

The new 43,500 deadweight tonne HBC43 ships are based on Deltamarin's "B Delta" design concept and are said to be a "milestone" in terms of energy efficiency.

But von Husen gave a glimpse of why some in the industry may be holding off on full commitment to technological innovation at present.

"Any saving on consumption is welcomed by our customers but there is no premium offered for the innovative job itself," he said.

The International Council on Clean Transportation last week called for ECAs to be extended into the Arctic as use of the Northern Sea Route is expected to increase pollution in the region.