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The Marine Industry Environmental Partnership

Green Marine is a voluntary, bi-national program designed to strengthen the marine sector's environmental performance through a process of continuous improvement; build stronger relations with Great Lakes - St. Lawrence Waterway stakeholders; and improve the awareness of the marine industry's activities and its environmental benefits.

Objectives

The goal of Green Marine is to help the marine industry take charge of the environmental agenda by:

  • Strengthening environmental performance through a process of continuous improvement;
  • Building stronger relations with Great Lakes - St. Lawrence Waterway stakeholders; and
  • Improving the awareness of the marine industry's environmental activities and benefits.

Industry Collaboration

There are currently 7 participating marine associations representing over 500 member companies in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Waterway in Canada and the United States that will take collective action to deal with a number of specific issues. These associations include: American Great Lakes Ports Association, Canadian Shipowners Association, Chamber of Marine Commerce, Shipping Federation of Canada, SODES, St. Lawrence Shipoperators and the United States Great Lakes Shipping Association.

Governance Structure

Green Marine is guided by a CEO Steering Committee comprised of industry leaders representing the diverse areas of commercial marine activity, including carriers, ports, St. Lawrence Seaway, and terminal operators from both Canada and the United States -

  • Louis-Marie Beaulieu - Groupe Desgagnés Inc.
  • Gerry Carter - Canada Steamship Lines
  • Richard Corfe - St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation
  • Terry Johnson, Jr. - Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation
  • Holger Oetjen - Hapag-Lloyd (Canada) Inc.
  • Adolph Ojard - Duluth Seaway Port Authority
  • Laurence Pathy - Fednav Limited
  • Madeleine Paquin - Logistec Corporation
  • Keith Robson - Hamilton Port Authority
  • Dominic Taddeo - Montreal Port Authority

The CEO committee works closely with the participating associations to set a clear framework for the program and encourage broad industry participation. These key industry leaders are helping to ensure that the maritime industry is speaking with one voice, and to raise a more public profile of Green Marine.

Environmental Policy and Guiding Principles

Green Marine adheres to the general principles of sustainable development, meaning development that responds to present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to respond to future needs. The St. Lawrence - Great Lakes maritime industry undertakes to carry out its activities in a manner that respects a set of guiding principles by developing an action plan for the industry that gives priority to a number of realistic and concrete actions on the part of companies.

Technical Work

Two environmental committees have been formed - the St. Lawrence Environmental Committee and the Great Lakes Environmental Committee. The committees have been tasked to review the current environmental issues surrounding marine transportation and develop action plans to address these issues with the goal of allowing all stakeholders to enhance their environmental performance in a measurable and demonstrable form.

These committees are currently working to:

  • Create policy/position statements on key issues
  • Establish performance standards or code of conduct on key issues
  • Develop performance and/or management indicators
  • Provide implementation guidance to members

Priority Issues

Priority issues identified and being addressed in the short-term are: (1) invasive species, (2) air emissions, and (3) cargo residues.

Taking Action

Member companies will be encouraged to address priority environmental issues through the voluntary implementation of specific action plans and through such actions as:

  • Adopting environmental policies
  • Adopting best practices
  • Implementing performance improvements
  • Incorporating agreed standards and guidance into management systems
  • Developing "green procurement" policies and practices
  • Ensuring employee awareness
  • Undertaking and supporting research and development initiatives related to the Program

 

 Further information:

(613) 233-8779 Ext. 4

http://www.green-marine.org/determination.htm