Introduction
Preventing pollution and preserving marine ecosystems is a critical global concern, because our oceans have such an important role in sustaining life on Earth. The shipping industry is vital for global trade, but its operations can have a very bad impact on marine life and it is important that the industry takes more steps to advance the preservation of our seas. We already have many rules and regulations, like for instance MARPOL, but much more still needs to be implemented in order better to control pollution and protect marine life.
Core matters
Some of the main things that especially affect the marine environment are:
Air pollution: ships cause this by emission of gases such as co2, methane and nitrous oxide, which are known as greenhouse gases, or GHGs. This is because these gases in particular can lead to global warming and thus climatic and other changes, such as rising sea levels, extreme weather events, melting ice caps, acidification of our oceans, loss in biodiversity and many more, all of which will have a very serious impact on the environment and all forms of life.
Water pollution: ships can pollute water by discharging waste, oils, chemicals and also ballast water into the sea and this can harm marine life and ecosystems, with resulting jeopardy for human health and well-being. Water pollution can lead to things like reduced oxygen levels, toxic algae blooms and coral bleaching, and at its very simplest it can kill fish and other living things in the sea.
This can result in a heavily negative effect on marine life, and in seeking to prevent that we have made many rules and taken various actions. However, we have still not gone far enough, and the shipping industry
needs to take further steps in order to minimise marine pollution and save marine life and thus take a rightful place in the blue economy.
Doing more
The shipping industry mostly follows national and international regulations and maintains reasonably good current standards for environmental protection, such as via organisations like the IMO and formal conventions like MARPOL, but to properly combat marine pollution and so better protect marine life it also needs to do the following:
1. Further reduce emissions and other pollution:
The shipping industry needs to implement new rules and regulations on the use of cleaner fuels which are low in sulphur and so do not cause emission of as much harmful gas.
New and strict provisions must be adopted on emissions and also waste discharge, which will lessen and eventually stop these forms of contamination of our oceans.
As part of this, we need to further develop and implement new technology, such as more advanced exhaust gas cleaning systems (scrubbers) to further reduce sulphur emissions from ships.
2. Vessel speed programs:
The industry needs to lay down innovative rules on speed reduction, so as to reduce noise pollution and minimise the risk of ship strikes on marine mammals.
We simply need to slow down in areas of high biodiversity, or where it is known that endangered species are present.
3. Ballast water management:
We need right away to implement new and effective ballast water management systems, to prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species in ecosystems where they do not belong.
This will also mean investing in new technology as regards ballast water treatment, to ensure compliance with international management system standards, and also using advanced sensors to ensure correct chemical ratios during ballasting and deballasting.
Many old ships are still trading without a BWTS – Ballast Water Treatment System – and all of course should have one.
4. Optimisation and avoidance:
Our industry must also develop and use new technology such as satellite tracking and predictive modelling in order to have optimal routeing, in terms of burning the minimum of fuel while also avoiding areas which have sensitive marine habitats, coral reefs and other locations which are designated as marine protected areas or MPAs.
5. Collaboration and sharing of knowledge:
We need to encourage partnerships with marine conservation organisations and other scientific institutions in order to share in, and use, data by which the world at large can become better educated about the importance of the blue economy and marine ecosystems, and need to support research that targets the impact of shipping activities on marine life and identifies ways to reverse that.
6. Education and awareness among seafarers themselves:
Key steps are promoting knowledge among ships’ crews, maritime company stakeholders, port authorities and the whole wider industry about the importance of marine conservation, and providing training programs or courses for ship staff on eco-friendly practices, so that they will get to know the ways by which they can stop marine pollution and help to maintain clean oceans and a healthy overall ecosystem.
Conclusion
The shipping industry has a key role in saving the oceans by taking various steps to reduce its impact on marine life. It is doing some things, but there is room for a great deal of improvement and many additional measures are needed to ensure the long-term health and sustainability of our global marine ecosystems. By innovation and collaboration, and commitment to environmental stewardship, our industry can very substantially contribute to the better protection of marine life in the next generation and ever beyond.
Shubham Jain, AB, REDWOOD MARINER
