The Green Award Foundationhas annouced that 8 ports additionally managed by the Osaka Ports and Harbors Bureau have joined as new Incentive Providers, offering discounted port fees to Green Award certified vessels that call their ports, according to the company's release.
This expands The Green Award’s network to 47 ports incentivising safety and sustainability in shipping globally. Among the 8 new Japanese ports are the Port of Sakai-Senboku and Port of Hannan, two major industrial ports situated in the Osaka Bay. With a long history as trading hubs, these ports serve as export bases and energy supply points for the Kansai region and greater western Japan area. Their large ship traffic and strategic location along key Asian shipping lanes make them prime candidates to influence industry adoption of Green Award’s rigorous safety and sustainability certification programme.
The 8 new ports join The Green Award’s two existing network members in the Osaka region—the Port of Osaka and Port of Kobe, which offer discounted port fees of 10% and have participated since 2020 and 2021, respectively. Port of Osaka has since increased the discount rate to 15%. The Port of Osaka is a one of Asia's foremost trading hubs, handling several million tons of cargo annually. The Port of Kobe has long served as a critical link for trade with its vast liner connectivity to Europe, North America, Australia and key Asian markets.
For over 30 years, Green Award Foundation has been dedicated to promoting sustainable and safe shipping. It works with seagoing ship operators, inland navigation operators, ports, governments, suppliers and service providers on a non-profit basis. Green Award's programme includes standard setting, audit/inspections, certification and rewards. Over 195 parties provide financial incentives / discounts to ships with a Green Award certificate. The Foundation started in 1994 for seagoing vessels and in 2011 opened to inland shipping. The organisation is governed by an independent board of industry professionals. Its operations align with 13 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and support Environmental, Societal and Governance policies on around 60 shipping related topics globally. In addition to its global certification program covering environmental, safety, and quality management facets of ship operations, Green Award has extensive expertise specifically in sustainable ship waste handling having integrated these concerns from the outset of its founding. The organisation worked closely with the EU Commission over 2020-2021 providing extensive input during development of the new EU regulatory framework mandating waste fee discounts for sustainable ships under Directive 2019/883 and its 2022 implementing act defining required criteria. Given alignment of Green Award's existing certification criteria with stipulations in EU Regulation 2022/91, as well as decades of experience incentivising and verifying responsible ship waste management practices, Green Award was approved as an authorised independent auditor for ports needing to identify and report qualifying ships under the new EU waste discount schemes entering into force for 2024.