AkzoNobel's Scoops Environmental Award for Bunker-Saving Carbon Credit Scheme

AkzoNobel Thursday announced that it has been awarded the title of Environmental Leader Product of the Year for 2016 for its carbon credits methodology.

Akzo Nobel N.V. (AkzoNobel) Thursday announced that it has been awarded the title of Environmental Leader Product of the Year for 2016 for its carbon credits methodology, which rewards ship owners for utilising bunker-saving sustainable hull coatings.

"We are delighted that our efforts to support our customers, while also making an important contribution to reducing global emissions, has been recognized," said Oscar Wezenbeek, Managing Director of AkzoNobel Marine Coatings.

"This award shows the impact and relevance of our carbon credits methodology, not just within the shipping industry, but also in the context of the wider global sustainability agenda. It also provides external validation, which we hope will give ship owners further motivation to enroll in the scheme."

As Ship & Bunker has previously reported, AkzoNobel's scheme provides carbon credits to ship owners who have converted vessels to a bunker-saving, biocide-free hull coating, such as AkzoNobel's Intersleek.

"Intersleek is a great technology to help reduce greenhouse emissions from the shipping industry, and the carbon credits methodology will help incentivize ship owners to adopt it. This could be a very impactful initiative, leading the industry towards sustainable shipping," said the award's judging panel.

In May, AkzoNobel announced that it had awarded 13,735 carbon credits - valued at approximately $60,000 - to Greece-based shipping operator Neda Maritime Agency Co Ltd (Neda Maritime) for the converting its tanker vessel Argenta from a biocidal antifouling to a biocide-free advanced hull coating from AkzoNobel's Intersleek offering.