Με μεγάλη επιτυχία, και πάρα πολλές συμμετοχές από εταιρείες πραγματοποιήθηκε στην Αθήνα, στις 20 Οκτωβρίου 2023, το συνέδριο ESG Conference 2023, που διοργάνωσαν και έφεραν άψογα εις πέρας οι κ.κ. Κατερίνα Σταθοπούλου, Ελένη Αθουσάκη, principal organizers των ESG Shipping Awards 2023.
The ESG Shipping Awards 2023 proved that our industry is fully engaged with the ESG reality and that the awarded practices are invaluable insights and useful information for further progress and understanding of the ESG concept in the maritime industry.
The Conference of the ESG Shipping Awards 2023, is the sequel of the awards whereby the companies presented the winning actions and explained the impact on operations along with the challenges and opportunities during implementation. They shared experiences with stakeholders and revealed their ESG plans.
The participants gained important information on ESG best practices and benefit from the benchmarking process, as they could compare how well they are doing vis-à-vis the leaders in one or more aspects of ESG as well as identify areas for improvements, but also prepared for next year’s ESG Shipping Awards.
Furthermore, attendees also informed about the latest ESG developments in the maritime industry while they had the opportunity to network and communicated with other peers.
The conference aimed for a valuable knowledge-sharing experience and constructive discussion among the leading shipping companies in the ESG field.
Ο Φώτης Μπελεξής Technical Director of Star Bulk Carriers Corp. συμμετείχε στο πάνελ με θέμα συζήτησης:
“The challenges that the shipping industry faces in transitioning to more sustainable, low carbon operations.”
Question from the moderator: How do you see the “transitioning to Net zero” challenges, and do you see the broader ecosystem and in particular banks & charterers having an important role in supporting and incentivizing shipping’s decarbonization effort?
Fotis Belexis replied:
The Challenge is that this is not a Challenge only for Shipping Companies. This is was makes it far more complex.
And why is that: Because now there are many stakeholders involved, and now this is a time for all of us that will need to act as a Team. We can say that we are the members of an orchestra and we have to be well tuned to each other to perform the symphony and to set an example to the other industries.
Decarb requires a major transformation of how we conduct our business. ALL OF US.
Starting with the driving force, the Capital. It will require huge investment, levels at an estimate cost of $3Trillion by 2050.
The boundaries of the challenge have to do with 3 basic elements:
-safety and technology, (related mostly to Shipping companies to tackle)
-availability of fuels, (shipping cannot control and cannot solve this, this is global matter with other stakeholders & industries involved, including global and regional government intervention).
-scalability of fuels (enough volumes to drive the large commercial fleet as is, and as forecasted for 2050).
-Human Element (The people, the seafarers, they will need to be trained to new technologies)
All the above will require, the regulatory part which sets the rules and the bar (including the emission taxation). This is fundamental for shipping, since without these rules, we cannot take a forward step. (IMO, Regional requirements and PSC/Flag States for the implementation)
Charterers: They will need to support the transition. Participate and take a part of the risk and cost of this process. (I.e.: Securing the alternative fuel supplies, establishing logistic systems in areas of trade, supporting the investment of building greener/zero emission vessels by a closer and structured collaboration). We need to bear in mind that transportation emission for them is Scope 3.
Shipping Companies: We will not all run in the same pace. Not all of us will embrace at once this transition, because we may set differently our short/medium and long term transition goals. Among us, there will be the first movers (the brave ones taking the highest risk!), the Followers (patient and with enhanced due diligence) and those that are strategically idle. For US Transportation emission is Scope 1. But the direction will need to be unified.
We need to build an even much stronger relationship with the Charterers with join long term collaboration prospects. So we both need each other and we need to tango together.
For example: For steady business cycles, car transportation, the charterers are an incremental part of the Shipping companies fleet renewal & investment on emission reduction/monitoring technologies.
Financial institutions. These are the big boys that are committed also to embrace this effort (for example Poseidon Principal). However, they may be hesitant to finance the green development if the regulations (EU taxonomy or other) are not in place, and if the Chartering commitments are not in place, and, thus, logistics availability are not secured.
Shipyard and Manufacturers. Makers will need to develop new technologies, new designs and built greener/zero emission vessels. This will not happen overnight, and will come in gradual waves and steps, and in close collaboration with all the rest stake holders.
On the taxation part, it remains an important incentive towards this end, however it must be fair (for example avoid the double taxation look at the EU ETS and Fuel EU Maritime example).
The taxation also has to be balanced, it has to be implemented with integrity and transparency. I.e., the proceeds of the taxation must be re-invested in the shipping industry (for example by developing greener shipping technologies).
Amid all these, and depending of the regulations & taxation, the effort must be made to avoid the creation of multi-tier markets/industries, that may drive smaller players aside, or even outside, the industry.
This dictates that all of us will need to act as a well-tuned orchestra.
This is a major culture change on how we often used to tackle challenges in our industry.
This is a definitely a shared responsibility, and it is now the time to share knowledge, technology, experience and to make this journey as smooth as possible.
Επιμέλεια: Κλαίρη Παπά
