Clean Hull Initiative (CHI)'s project leader Irene Tvedten presented at the European Environmental Ports Conference this week:
Ports hold the key to in-water cleaning! Representing Bellona and the Clean Hull Initiative (CHI), I met some highly progressive ports at the European Environmental Ports Conference in Lisbon this week. Ports are becoming increasingly conscious about biodiversity, and in my presentation at the conference I underlined the importance of allowing environmentally sound in-water cleaning in ports as a means of limiting the transfer of invasive aquatic species via biofouling on ships' hulls. At the conference I learned about several promising Green Shipping Corridor initiatives, and I also learned that there are now over 50 such initiatives worldwide. In-water cleaning should be included in all Green Corridors! Firstly, Green Corridors should not become corridors for invasive aquatic species, but limit their transfer by facilitating their removal. Secondly, Green Corridors should encourage in-water cleaning in ports to ensure that not a drop of alternative fuel is wasted. Alternative fuels planned for Green Corridors such as green ammonia will be costly, and they will be produced from scarce renewable resources. In-water cleaning is an energy efficiency measure that reduces fuel usage by in average 9 %, according to the IMO. Thank you to Active Communications International (ACI Europe), and thank you to Katalin Dobránszky-Bartus, PhD for hosting this conference so elegantly.