Approach to ESG/SDGs. Heiki Marine Shipping aims to both build a sustainable society and improve corporate value. Their main domestic shipping is an important carrier of large and long-distance transportation in Japan. According to the company, about 40% of domestic freight transport is inland shipping, and more than 80% of essential materials such as petroleum products, iron & steel, and cement are transported by sea. In addition, the amount of energy consumed when transporting one ton of cargo per 1 km (1-ton kilo) is about 1/5 that of a truck. Therefore, inland shipping is an environmentally friendly transportation with good energy efficiency. The company is working towards a modal shift with a low environmental impact, and is working on double-tracking the handling of goods.
Efforts towards ESG/SDGs
Switching from using commercial freight vehicles such as trucks to using environmentally friendly railways and ships.
When building a new domestic ship, low environmental impact facility investments that can contribute to reducing environmental impact are given priority, and construction is carried out in accordance with CO2 reduction standards. The company is also switching to compliant new fuels with low environmental impact to comply with the strengthened SOx regulations (concentration regulations for sulfur content in ship fuel oil that apply to all ships, regardless of domestic or international waters) imposed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1958 to promote intergovernmental cooperation on various issues related to maritime safety, prevention of marine pollution from ships, etc.
They have installed and operate a UV-based wastewater treatment system in response to the regulation and management treaty for ship ballast water, and continue to work on reducing CO2 emissions and obtaining certification for eco-commuting by the Traffic Ecology and Mobility Foundation.
Ballast water is seawater stored in a ship to maintain balance during navigation. When released at the port of arrival, various marine organisms (plankton, fragments of seaweed, etc.) are also released into the ballast water. If the released marine organisms become established, they can disrupt the ecosystem as invasive species and cause various problems around the world. In response to this problem, the IMO's Ballast Water Management Convention came into effect in 2017. Based on this international treaty, ballast water management is progressing around the world.
(Written by FISCO Guest Analyst Yoichiro Shimizu)