London –The Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) has welcomed the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority as its newest member, becoming the first port authority to join the initiative which now consists of seventeen members across the maritime ecosystem.
The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority is the federal agency responsible for stewardship of Canada’s largest port, the Port of Vancouver. Situated on Canada’s west coast, in British Columbia, the Port of Vancouver is the third largest port in North America by tonnage, enabling the trade of approximately $275 billion in goods with more than 170 world economies.
The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority has set a vision for the Port of Vancouver to be the world’s most sustainable port, and is working towards a goal of phasing out all port-related emissions by 2050, as part of the Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy –– a first-of-its-kind strategy that unites several major Canadian and U.S. ports around a shared goal of eliminating port-related air emissions. Towards this goal, the port authority leads innovative environmental programs and initiatives designed to reduce climate change-related emissions, improve air quality, and protect local ecosystems.
“Welcoming the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority to the SSI community is a special cause for celebration as the first port to join the initiative, bringing with it a new perspective on the sustainability challenges and priorities for the maritime sector.” Andrew Stephens, SSI’s Executive Director, said. “We look forward to working with our colleagues at the port authority and leveraging their expertise on areas ranging from sustainable marine fuels to oceans and coastal communities, ensuring that these are high on shipping’s sustainability agenda.”
The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority adds representation for SSI in North America. Over the last several decades, the port authority has taken a leading role in supporting sustainable shipping practices through programs such as its EcoAction Program for ships, which was one of the first programs, globally, to offer financial incentives for shipping lines that follow sustainable practices, such as plugging into shore power or using low-carbon fuels; and its world-leading Enhancing Cetacean Habitat and Observation (ECHO) Program, which coordinates one of the world’s largest voluntary efforts to reduce the impacts of shipping on endangered whales. Earlier this year, the port authority committed to explore the feasibility of the world’s first cruise-led green corridor, between Washington, British Columbia, and Alaska, in partnership with the Port of Seattle, the Borough of Juneau, and leading cruise lines.
“We are very pleased to become the first port authority to join this important global collaboration for sustainable shipping,” said Robin Silvester, chief executive officer and president of the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. “We look forward to working alongside like-minded organizations from across the global maritime industry to advance our shared vision for more sustainable shipping – both at the Port of Vancouver and around the world.”
The Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) is a multi-stakeholder initiative that brings together leading organisations with shared goals and equal determination in improving the sustainability of the shipping industry in terms of social, environmental and economic impacts. Ranging from NGOs to shipowners, charterers, banks, and classification societies, SSI members work toward the milestones laid out in the Roadmap to a sustainable shipping industry. (Photo Vancouver Fraser Port Authority)
