ISSA: Ship suppliers should beware if asked to dispose of waste

The following is the text of a press release issued by the International Shipsuppliers & Services Association:
 
(LONDON) — Ship suppliers must be at the forefront in putting the environment first when it comes to the services they
provide ship owners and managers and they need to be more vigilant about the type and content of
shipboard waste they may be asked to dispose of, the head of the world’s ship supply industry has warned.
Speaking at the launch of Green ISSA, Jens Olsen, President of the International Shipsuppliers & Services
Association (ISSA) said suppliers needed to be fully aware of the complexities of international as well as
regional and national legislation governing the disposal of hazardous and noxious substances.
ISSA has launched ‘Green ISSA’ to emphasise the ship supply industry’s acknowledgement of the
importance that the environment plays in the global shipping industry.
He said: “Suppliers can find themselves caught up in a legal and legislative nightmare if they are pressurised
to dispose of what they believe is harmless shipboard waste. In some instances, such waste can contain more
than the suppliers bargained for. By agreeing to handle the waste they are then responsible for it and can
face hefty fines or legal action. By that time the ship will have gone.â€
“We want to make all our members, and the industry in general, aware of the importance of the
environment and we encourage them all to start thinking green in everything they do. Whether it is the type
and amount of packaging they use or the extent of their own carbon footprint. But it is the issue of garbage
disposal that throws up the most complications, especially when suppliers are put under pressure to assist
by their owning and management principals,†Mr Olsen said.
So concerned is ISSA about the issue that it is working on plans to include the environment as part of its
ISSA Quality Plus programme.
ISSA President Jens Olsen has already gone on record saying that he wants to encourage membership
growth of ISSA through the development of ISSAʹs Quality Standard so that it becomes a beacon for quality
and an example to other sectors as to how to work with regulators to gain maximum benefit for member
companies.
“ISSA’s global membership is already being assessed according to the Quality Standards as will any new
members wishing to join. In this age of self assessment and service transparency, ISSA has taken it upon
itself to ensure that only those ship suppliers that carry the ISSA logo can be assured of the quality standards
necessary to trade and to supply as demanded by our clients – the ship owners and the ship managers,†he
added.
By Professional Mariner Staff