In my previous blog post, The environment is always on Evergreen’s agenda, I told you what Evergreen Line do to minimise the impact of their vessels. In this article, I will remain on course and discuss the possibility to optimise vessel navigation in eco-friendly ways.

Eco-­friendly vessel navigation starts already in the design phase

To discuss the possibility to optimise vessel navigation in eco-­friendly ways, let me take Evergreen’s ongoing building project of ten new B-­type vessels as an example. The vessels will be about 211 meters long, 32.8 meters wide and have a design draught of ten meters. They will have a capacity of around 2800 TEU and be able to load thirteen rows of containers on deck.

To optimise the vessel navigation in an eco-­friendly way, the hull form and propulsion efficiency are well conceived already in the design phase. The optimisation of the hull and propeller provides more favourable performance over the operating profile of draughts and ship speeds. It makes it possible to enhance fuel efficiency, save energy and reduce emissions in future vessel operations.

The new vessels are also equipped with electronic­-controlled fuel injection engines. These engines comply with the IMO Tier II standards for nitrogen oxide emissions as well as the requirements of Energy Efficiency Design Index. This means that the vessels can reduce CO2 emissions by around 10 percent and  NOX emissions by around 20 percent compared to traditionally designed vessels.

Careful planning of the voyage protects the marine environment

Leaving the example of Evergreen’s new vessels behind, and looking at vessel navigation from a wider scope, voyage planning is an important aspect. Poor voyage planning can lead to groundings, collisions and oil spills. With a voyage plan in place, it is possible to closely monitor the vessel navigation progress and the position of the vessel on the service route. This is important to efficiently transport the cargo considering depth, narrows, tide and currents while carefully protecting the marine environment.

Weather routing reduces negative effects on vessel navigation

Using weather routing is a great way to enhance the efficiency of fuel consumption on specific routes and achieve significant savings. By using the most updated weather information from the weather forecast service provider, ocean-­going vessels can select the best route to reduce severe weather’s negative effects on the vessel navigation. The goal is often to find the best balance to minimise fuel consumption and time of transit.

Speed optimisation reduces unnecessary fuel consumption

Speed optimisation is another important factor. When departing from a port, the vessel  sends a departure report to the shipping company as well as a daily noon report during sea passage. The company shore staff monitors the vessel speed and fuel consumption through a monitoring system. When an abnormal operation such as over speed or over fuel consumption is detected, the port captain in charge analyses the data and immediately informs the vessel to adjust the speed to match current ETA targets. With the help of slow steaming, it is possible to reduce unnecessary fuel consumption, save energy and reduce carbon emissions.

Just­-in-­time arrival contributes to avoiding unnecessary speeding up or waiting at sea

Communication is often a key, and so is also the case when it comes to vessel navigation and eco­-efficiency. Early communication with the next port of call enables the vessel crew to receive a notice of berth availability and helps them to use optimum sailing speeds to approach the next port. It also allows the crew to calculate necessary engine RPM for the estimated arrival time, contributing to avoiding unnecessary speeding up or waiting at sea. Smoother port operations means that vessel can obtain more margin of lower speed and engine output, which in turn means lower fuel consumption.

Let’s care for the marine environment and ecosystem together!

I hope you found my article relevant and helpful. All of the above optimisations of vessel navigation are actions that Evergreen Line has taken to safeguard a sustainable development of the marine environment and ecosystem. To us, it is a matter of course that the vessels are equipped with various environmental protection devices and that we follow eco­-friendly criteria to reduce the impact of the vessels.

How important is the environment to you? In what ways do you work with respect to our planet? Let me know in the comments below! In my next blog post, I will talk about the environmental actions that Evergreen Line has taken to minimise the emissions of their vessels. Keep an eye out. Until then, see you on the social networks!

/Minna Ruisaho, Greencarrier Liner Agency

Working for an inclusive society and a labour market that values diversity

The organisation Mitt Liv is a social enterprise working for an inclusive society and a labour market that values diversity. Their goal is to open doors for people with foreign background to enter the Swedish labour market through mentoring, training and education.

The programme is called Mitt Livs Chans, Chance of a Lifetime,  and consists of three parts: one educational part for the mentors, one educational part for the mentees, and regular meetings including both groups. To create the perfect match, mentors and mentees with similar education are paired up. The meetings involve seminars, dialogues in smaller groups and training opportunities for job interviews or similar situations. The mentors and mentees may meet over a coffee to practice the Swedish language or talk about day-to-day challenges.

For Johan Olers, Logistics & Equipment Manager at Greencarrier Liner Agency, it didn’t take long until the cooperation between him and his mentee provided fruitful results. “My mentee is an Environmental Engineer from Thailand. She has been living in Sweden for about five years now. Over those years, she has been employed, but never had a job relevant to her education. When the project started, she had an internship that was just about to expire. Our common goal was to find a relevant job as soon as possible after her internship.”

Johan decided to contact some of his friends and pull some strings. “I made a list of all municipalities in Västra Götaland County with contact details to vacant positions available. My mentee went through the list applying for jobs. Before we knew it, she got offered a job!”

Today, Johan’s mentee is working for a consulting firm with assignments for Alingsås County. “In a way, my mission is accomplished. However, my mentee and I still speak every now and then, even though not as often as we used to. She doesn’t really have time for me now that she has got a job! But it is nice to stay in contact, and I will be happy to help her solve things also in the future.”

Making a big difference with a small effort

For Maria Limberg, Finance Manager at Greencarrier Freight Services, the mentorship has been a lot about mentally supporting her mentee. “My mentee is a well educated economist. However, after applying for job after job without any results, she has lost her confidence”, she says. Many of the mentees are well educated, but still have difficulties entering the Swedish labour market. Some of them have applied for hundreds of jobs, but not once been asked to an interview. “This is very disappointing and of course lowers their self-esteem. My role as a mentor has very much been to encourage my mentee to believe in herself and make her realise her own potential”.

Maria is convinced that Greencarrier makes a huge difference by being part of the project. “It is a way of showing that one can make a big difference with a small effort. As a mentor, I don’t think the effort you make is that big, but it certainly makes a difference. The goal is of course that the mentees should be employed by the end of the project. But very often, just showing your support and being interested and committed, means a lot.”

Contributing to a more integrated society

For all three of Greencarrier’s mentors, Chance of a Lifetime is not only a matter of helping people with foreign background enter the Swedish labour market. It is also a way of taking responsibility for the society we live in and what is happening in the world right now. “Integration has moved on top of the political agenda in Sweden. Mitt Liv has been a chance for me to contribute to a more integrated society in a very concrete way. It is important to minimise the time gap for people with foreign background – from the time they arrive to Sweden to the time they enter the Swedish labour market”, says Marcus Meijerbom, Customs Manager at Greencarrier Freight Services.

Also, diversity issues and cultural differences have become more clear to Greencarrier’s mentors. “My mentee managed to enter the Swedish labour market fairly quickly, which had little to do with me, to be honest! But instead, her challenge has been to understand the social codes and unwritten rules we have in Sweden. I have supported her a lot in those things”, says Marcus.

Maria’s mentee is from China, and they have had long conversations about the cultural differences between China and Sweden. “In Sweden, it is socially accepted, if not an obligation, to join your colleagues for a coffee in your workplace. Whereas in China, it may be seen as unprofessional to take a break and chat with your colleagues. These cultural differences mean a lot”, says Maria.

A CSR project that paid off and may inspire other companies

Maria, Johan and Marcus all agree that being part of Mitt Liv has been beneficial in more than one way, not least for the city of Gothenburg. “Investing with our time, money and effort in a project like Mitt Liv is money well spent, says Johan. People get employed, which nourishes the society. We receive a profitable return on the investment as a lot of the money goes right back to the city of Gothenburg; many of the mentees will be working here, and some might even end up at Greencarrier! This is a long-term investment in the future”.

They are all proud to be part of a company that believes in diversity and inclusion across all aspects of its business and in society in general. “I am very happy to work for Greencarrier, a company that always strives to do good. I hope we can inspire other Gothenburg-based companies to get involved in the project”, says Marcus.

“This project has given me a lot of new knowledge and insights”, says Maria. “Meetings provide a sublime arena for gaining new perspectives and learning from each other.”

What do you think of the project? Let us know in the comments below! If you enjoyed reading this blog post, please sharing it in social media. For more info about our other CSR projects, visit Greencarrier’s website.