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Pressrelease | 2021-01-11
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IVL invests in Clean Shipping Index

The Clean Shipping Index shows emissions to air and water generated by ships. It is a practical tool for differentiating port and fairway fees and choosing more sustainable shipping alternatives. IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute will assume operation of this independent environmental index from January 2021.

Shipping is considered an energy-efficient mode of transport with low carbon dioxide emissions per unit transported. But this depends on the type of ship and the amount of cargo carried. Ships emit nitrogen and sulphur oxides and affect marine life through discharges of wastewater, chemicals and waste.

Since the launch of the Clean Shipping Index in 2007, researchers at IVL Swedish Environmental Institute have participated in its technical committee, and Sara Sköld, Project Manager at IVL, sees many advantages in taking over the helm.

– IVL successfully operates several independent eco-labels. The Clean Shipping Index will be yet another that showcases our cutting-edge expertise in transport, the environment and sustainability, she says.

The Clean Shipping Index allows you to assess environmental performance based on a ship’s emissions to air and water, but it also speaks to which shipowners run the most sustainable fleet. The Swedish Maritime Administration uses the system to environmentally differentiate fairway fees, something that all ships must pay if they are to operate in Swedish waters or dock at Swedish ports.

Sabina Hoppe, Head of the Environment and Sustainability Unit at the Swedish Maritime Administration and responsible for the environmental differentiation of fairway fees, sees several advantages in using CSI.

– The Clean Shipping Index examines multiple aspects of the environmental impact of shipping, including emissions to air and water, something we see as positive. We look forward to collaborating with IVL Swedish Environmental Institute in tackling future environmental challenges in this area, she says.

CSI is also utilized by ports, among these the Port of Gothenburg, to environmentally differentiate port fees. In addition, a number of European transport buyers and other companies use the index when they procure maritime transport or wish to compare shipowners' environmental performances.

Rickard Lindström, former CEO of the Clean Shipping Index, sees good opportunities for further development of CSI with the help of IVL’s expertise.

– Relinquishing the helm to IVL is important for the continued development of the index and the role it plays in setting fairway charges. Sweden’s and the Swedish Maritime Administration’s environmental differentiation is a world-beating instrument well worth building on, both nationally and internationally, says Rickard Lindström, who is expected to continue working with CSI.

Read more about the Clean Shipping Index. External link, opens in new window.

For more information, please contact:
Sara Sköld, sara.skold@ivl.se, +46 (0)10-788 68 02

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