Zero–Tolerance for Ship-Source Pollution

WWF´s challenge to all the stakeholders to further reduce ship-source marine pollution

Anita Mäkinen, Head of Marine Program, WWF Finland

Shipshape Shipping – WWF Seminar on the Best Environmental Practices On-Board and in the Harbours 4 May 2006, Helsinki

WWF is globally collaborating with several shipping companies and organisations to enhance environmentally sound shipping in the seas and oceans.

WWF and Wallenius Wilhemsen are united by a common desire to sustain a healthy marine environment and have an agreement to enhance marine nature conservation in the High Seas i.e. sea areas beyond national jurisdiction (>200 nm). WWF has a High Seas Conservation Programme, a holistic approach to marine environment management which has been developed as a result of the increasing threats to the High Seas to protect the resources of the High Seas.

INTERTANKO and WWF have a concordat with a vision to see a future in which shipping is sustainable and the marine environment is fully protected. Through their joint efforts WWF and INTERTANKO will enhance environmental protection by developing and promoting sustainable shipping. The organisations will work to bridge the divide between industry and the environmental sectors, highlighting the need for enhanced environmental protection

WWF Finland has collaborated in the Baltic Sea area together with Silja Line and Neste Shipping (former FORTUM) for several years. Silja Line ships are running on fuel with low content of sulphur and other atmospheric emissions have been reduced through the introduction of catalytic converters.

For Neste Shipping environmental issues are also important. For example, Neste Shipping is escorting oil tankers with tugger boats into the harbour and when they are leaving the ports to decrease the risk of an oil accident.

WWF shares the vision of a vessel without any emissions with Wallenius -Wilhemsen shipping company. While waiting the vision come true, WWF invites all stakeholders to work together to further decrease the environmental impact of commercial shipping in order to improve the protection and state of the Baltic Sea: all harbours around the Baltic Sea and all shipping companies acting in the Baltic Sea are needed to protect our Sea – Mare Nostrum.

WWF invites Stakeholders involved in marine transportation

• to decrease air emission of COx and NOx
• to ban discharges of waste waters into the Baltic Sea
• to harmonize practises and improve capacity to handle waste water in the harbours around the Baltic Sea and
• to develop best practises to tackle alien species transported by ballast water.

To set measurable targets in the future WWF request regional authorities to collect reliable data on ship born air emissions (NOx ands COx) and the amount of discharged waste waters.

Further, WWF requests all the Baltic governments to ratify the International Convention on the control of harmful antifouling systems on ships and International Convention for the control and management of ships ballast water and sediments.