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Initiative - 12.10.2020
UECC commits to UN’s Global Compact Initiative
Oslo, October 2020: The leading provider of short roro transportation in Europe, UECC, has committed investments and resources to the United Nations Global Compact Initiative. This is a voluntary leadership platform where close to ten thousand corporations and organizations in 160 countries develop, implement and share best practises in sustainable and responsible business practices.
“We are proud to invest time and resources in a global initiative for business conduct and corporate governance that is ethical and sustainable, where people and planet are at the centre for how businesses are run. Sustainable development is desired by our parent companies, our management group, and praised by all our employees. It’s a proud day for UECC,” said CEO Glenn Edvardsen.
“The principles of UN Global Compact initiative are in line with how we have conducted our business for years already, and we will ensure that we continue to comply with these guidelines, and raise the bar together with global businesses of all sizes and shapes,” continued Edvardsen.
According to the International Maritime Organization carbon dioxide emissions from shipping were equal to 2,2 percent of the global human-made emissions in 2012, and expected to rise 50 to 250 percent by 2050 if no actions were taken. This has led to the creation of many industry-led programs to reduce the negative impact, and shipping companies all over the world are taking action to commission and operate ships that are modern and more carbon-neutral.
According to Edvardsen, the maritime industry has a long way to go towards a more carbon-neutral future. UECC has for several years invested substantially in upgrading its fleet to run on more sustainable fuels, using LNG and Biofuel instead of traditional marine oil fuel. The company has partnered with Goodships and BMW Group to reduce CO2 emissions on shipments by 80-90%, and is the first in its industry with ships that will operate as dual-fuel and battery powered hybrids. With three new ships soon to be deployed, UECC’s owned fleet of dual-fuel and battery powered hybrids will represent more than 50%.
“When our third battery-hybrid LNG ship is delivered in 2020, we will be the proud owners of the most sustainable fleet in our market in Europe. The new battery-hybrid solution will also ensure that UECC goes beyond the IMO target of 40% reduction in carbon intensity by 2030,” said Edvardsen.
By switching to LNG and Biofuel on one of its vessels, UECC has calculated CO2 reductions of 27,019 metric tonnes of CO2 since 2016.
“At UECC we always strive to find more sustainable ways to improve our operations. We will decarbonise our fleet as soon as we are able to, and help the shipping industry comply with the standards of tomorrow. By joining this UN-program, we demonstrate our commitment to run our business in the best possible manner, continue to reduce the carbon footprint of our existing tonnage, and keep meeting the shipping standards of tomorrow”, said Daniel Gent, Energy and Sustainability Manager at UECC.
Daniel Gent
The UN Global Compact promotes ten universally accepted principles in areas around ethical business conduct, to ensure and to take action in support of UN goals and issues embodied in the Sustainable Development Goals. The principles are derived from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Labour Organization’s Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, and the United Nations Convention Against Corruption.
UECC (United European Car Carriers) is a leading short-sea operator and logistics provider for the transportation of cars, vans and high & heavy cargo in Europe. The company was established in 1990 and holds contracts with all the major vehicle manufacturers. With a fleet of about 20 purpose-built vessels, UECC transports around 1.5 million car units, 30 000 high & heavy units and 300 000 tonnes breakbulk cargo annually. UECC also operates several vehicle terminals and break-bulk terminals in major European ports. UECC is owned in equal shares by Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), one of the world’s largest shipping companies, and by Wallenius Lines of Stockholm, Sweden’s foremost shipping enterprise.
Daniel Gent, Energy & Sustainability Manager
Phone: +44 782 7953 624
E-mail: dge@uecc.com