Monthly Archives: October 2018

What is sustainable development – and why is it important to Greencarrier?

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Categories: Sustainability. Tags: , , , , , .

But a sustainable world is also a world where the society is strong and fair and enables everyone to live a full life with equal opportunities.

Urgent changes to stop global warming

Just recently the world’s leading climate scientists released a report about the global warming goals, the IPCC report “Global warming of 1.5 °C”. According to the Paris Declaration from 2015, global warming (compared to pre-industrial levels) should be kept below 2 degrees and we should strive to keep it at 1,5 degrees. The new IPCC report shows that this difference of a half degree beyond 1,5 °C would significantly worsen the risk of drought, floods and poverty for hundreds of millions of people. Their conclusion is that urgent and unprecedented changes are needed.

The 2030 Agenda – Global Goals for Sustainable Development

So this is the harsh reality, but luckily it’s not all bad news! The report also shows that the reversal of global warming is possible. Things are actually moving in a positive direction as well.

In 2015 for example, 193 world leaders in the United Nations agreed to 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development. If these goals are reached, it would mean an end to extreme poverty, inequality and climate change by 2030. Nations, companies and individuals all need to get involved in these goals to enable the change.

 

Source: The Global Goals

Being a fair and honest business partner, employer and member of the society

Greencarrier has grown and developed successfully as a company since our start in 2000. Every day we strive to deliver innovative solutions and personal service that makes our customers happy – so that we can continue to be successful.  But success for us is not just about economic needs, it’s about considering the wider impact of our operations and being a fair and honest business partner, employer and member of the society.


The Greencarrier Spirit Model

We have a long term ambition that includes taking responsibility for the environment, the society and the people in it. At Greencarrier we call this approach to sustainable development “The Greencarrier Spirit” and we base our work on the UN’s Global Compact.

Greencarrier’s actions towards the Global Goals for Sustainable Development

As part of our ambitions within sustainability, we have reviewed all 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development and their 169 Targets. We have evaluated where we can make most impact and defined five prioritized goals based on our four focus areas in the Greencarrier Spirit Model: environment, employees, society and business.

Here’s what these goals mean to us and what we do to contribute to them.


Goal 7 Affordable and clean energy

We develop our transportation products towards an increased use of clean energy, as well as increase the use of clean energy in our offices and premises. The latter is part of our Green Office  initiative.

Together with our partner Solvatten we provide clean, heated water powered by clean energy directly in the homes of families where clean water is not always available, empowering especially women.

Goal 8 Decent work and economic growth

Our ambition is to grow as a company, but not at the cost of the environment, society or people. We have a long term per­spective to how we run our company, this to enable sustainable economic growth. We have the ambition to be the most attractive employer in the industry and therefore we work actively with our culture and values – as well as with employee development programs.

Together with our partner Universeum we work in a school project called Future Transports, sharing our knowledge about logistics and contributing to the education of young people.

Goal 10 Reduced inequalities

We promote an inclusive work place where people are treated equally.  We believe in equality, fairness and the empowerment of everyo­ne irrespective of origin, religion, gender, age, etc. This is part of our culture and values.

Together with our partner MyDreamNow  some of our employees are mentors to students in schools where resources and role models are needed, this way contributing to a more equal society and the education of young people.

Goal 12 Responsible consumption and production

We strive to develop our products to become environ­mentally smarter. This is done by planning and advice to our customers, choosing the best available transport mode from an environmental perspective. We develop intermodal solutions, shortsea and train solutions as alternatives to less climate smart options.

We evaluate our suppliers and we report what we do to develop our work with sustainability.

Goal 13 Climate action

We strive to lower our relative emissions on delivered trans­ports by choosing the best available suppliers and plan our transports smarter. We work to promote green initiatives in our offices and premises, as mentioned, with the Green Office initiative. We also promote actions towards cleaner land and oceans by engaging in external networks such as Clean Shipping.

In Norway we have started the port bin project, using equipment that cleans the oceans from plastic and other waste in the five Norwegian ports where we have operations. This initiative is sponsored by our customers via our Green Contribution initiative.

The last generation that can fight climate changes

Ban Ki-moon, former Secretary-General of the United Nations said: “We are the first generation who can extinguish poverty, and the last that can fight climate changes.”

This is a great responsibility, but also possibility to ensure a better world for everyone in the future. Let’s join forces to contribute to sustainable development!

If you want to learn more about our view on sustainability, and what we actually do, please read our Sustainability Report or check out our web site and blog. And of course, you are more than welcome to contact me or one of my colleagues!

/Åsa Leander, Head of Sustainability and Brand Management

A decade of success in the container shipping industry: Greencarrier Liner Agency in Latvia celebrates 10 years

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Categories: In focus, News, Newsflash.

A balance between import and export proved to be a perfect match

Let us start from the beginning. The success of Greencarrier Liner Agency in Latvia goes all the way back to 2008 when the financial collapse and bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers was a fact. The company started at the very bottom and slowly but steadily grew as the shipping market recovered. At the same time, Evergreen began to pay more interest to the Latvian market and came to the conclusion that they had to allocate more of their services into the area. “Greencarrier Liner Agency would quickly prove to be the perfect match”, says Ingars Grinbergs, Managing Director at Greencarrier Liner Agency in Latvia. “Evergreen realised that every single container with import goods that we received was also shipped out with export goods. There was a so-called match load – a perfect balance between import and export – eliminating the need to pay for shipping empty containers across the oceans.” The partnership between Greencarrier Liner Agency and Evergreen have brought great success to the shipping market since 2010 when the business really took off and started to grow steadily.

Starting at the bottom, yet managing to truly succeed

Ingars Grinbergs, who has been on board since the very beginning, remembers what it was like when the journey began. “As a team leader and country head, I found this to be a unique opportunity to create and build something from scratch. It was also an opportunity to develop and increase both freight volumes and profitability. And of course, it was very rewarding to start at the very bottom and then manage to truly succeed.”

Sea freight and the “green gold” of Latvia

Historically, Latvia has been one of the main transit points for both north-south and east-west trade flows. Its geographical location at the heart of Europe’s fastest growing area – the Baltic Sea region – remains central to connecting major world economies and provide access to the Russian and Western market as well as the Far East. Today, sea freight is the fastest growing segment for export in the Latvian market. On the export side, the “green gold” of Latvia remains strong. “Timber and peat moss is definitely our fastest growing segment. Every year, millions of tons of Baltic peat moss and timber are exported to over one hundred countries around the world”, Ingars says. Greencarrier Liner Agency in Latvia also sees an increasing need for a wider range of value-added services such as cargo consolidation, packaging, labelling, warehousing, customs clearance, and door deliveries. “We experience an increasing number of requests and have a great strength in being able to provide these services to our customers now and in the future”, says Ingars.

The challenge of an unpredictable future in the Latvian shipping market

About the future, it is one of Ingars’ main challenges. “Right now, the future is our greatest challenge because it is so unpredictable. The Latvian market doesn’t have many large global companies that are based here. We deal with small and mid-size companies that need to be flexible in their contracts and with their suppliers. For us, as a supplier, it can be challenging to plan and forecast the future. We often need to act spontaneously and review our plans from time to time”. “However, when facing challenges like these, I tend to stick to our Greencarrier mindset: Yes, it’s possible! When thinking like that, there isn’t anything you can’t overcome and every problem is possible to solve”, Ingars adds.

The Greencarrier spirit is a fundamental success formula

It is undeniable that this mindset is one of the success factors for the company. “I am very proud of our business and the customer relationships we have established over the years. Me and my colleagues highly value our working environment and the friendship between colleagues. We are one team with one spirit, and I am proud to say that this has not changed over the years! We always help each other out, no matter what. Our people are our greatest asset and this fundamental success formula provides a stable development over time”, says Ingars. Would you like to know more about Greencarrier Liner Agency, our company mindset and partnership with Evergreen? Please, visit our website!

Reusing shipping containers: Thinking outside the box

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Categories: In focus, Newsflash.

Urban farming – growing crops inside shipping containers

Freight Farms has found a way to grow crops inside shipping containers. Their hydroponic farming system called The Leafy Green Machine uses hi-tech growing technology to transform discarded shipping containers into mobile farm units. Each farm can produce as much food as a two-acre plot of land on a much smaller plot than is required by traditional crops. As the outdoor climate has no impact on the conditions inside the container, food can be produced throughout the year and in any location. The project truly taps into the growing trend for urban farming and reduces the ecological footprint of food production.

Life uncontained – living inside Evergreen Line shipping containers

For the claustrophobic reader, it is now time to cover your eyes! After spending years not knowing what to do with their lives, this couple decided to chase what made them happy. Inspired by their past road trips, the hippies of the seventies, and Elon Musk, they chose to risk everything: They sold their traditional home, quit their jobs, and moved from Florida to Texas to build their dream debt-free net zero shipping container home using a couple of Evergreen Line Shipping containers. Are you intrigued? Follow their journey on YouTube!

A piece of container artwork you just can’t take your eyes off

As a part of his project “Women are Heroes,” the French artist JR turned shipping containers into a stunning piece of floating art. The picture assembled on the containers represents the eyes of a woman called Elisabeth who lives in the Kibera slums in Nairobi. When JR met and photographed her, she said “Make my story travel with you.” Using thousands of strips of paper placed by dock workers on the sides of the containers, JR created two eyes gazing at the world while travelling the oceans – two eyes belonging to women who will never travel across those oceans – made possible by art.

Container skyscrapers to replace slum housing

CRG Architects have come up with the concept for Container Skyscraper. The idea is to provide temporary accommodation to replace slum housing in developing countries. As many cities are facing unprecedented demographic, environmental, economic, social and spatial challenges, stacking recycled shipping containers to create cylindrical-looking towers can create high-density, cost-effective housing in urban areas. This is a truly innovative idea both in terms of CSR and the environment.

Container village startup hub for young companies

Dutch architect Julius Taminiau has created a temporary startup hub in Amsterdam using shipping containers. He has turned a derelict patch of land into a low budget, temporary space for young companies. In this dynamic village, the startups will inspire, collaborate across sectors, exchange knowledge and produce unexpected and paradigm-shifting creations. As the containers are placed upon concrete tiles, everything can be reused when the village is taken apart in the future and no trace will be left – an eco-friendly and innovative solution, which we are all about at Greencarrier Liner Agency!

3 reasons for reusing shipping containers

As exemplified above – shipping containers can be so much more than just a box to ship commodity in. The reason for reusing shipping containers for other purposes than shipping is not only that they are extremely flexible, can solve a bunch of problems and be used in such innovative, unique, creative and cool ways – there is much more to it.

When containerisation conquered the global trade, shipping containers were standardised for intermodal freight transport. The standardisation made it possible to transport larger freight volumes and use different modes of transport without having to unload or reload the goods. Today, shipping containers still serve their purpose, but also provide great advantages when used as Intermodal Steel Building Units (ISBU).

1. Shipping containers are excellent construction material

From a structural point of view, containers are excellent construction material. As they spend the majority of their lifetime outdoors, the material is ideal for exposure to the elements of nature. The steel construction and design provide protection and strength as well as structural support and a long lifespan. The corner assemblies and locking mechanism also provide stability when multiple containers are being used in the construction of a building.

2. Buying empty shipping containers can be cost-efficient

Looking at costs, the reuse of shipping containers can be cost-efficient. A shipping container’s initial purpose is to carry cargo at sea, therefore it has to be cargo worthy throughout its lifespan. Most containers are finished as shipping containers after ten years in service and they are being replaced. Even though container stock is tight for most shipping lines, there is a big aftermarket for those replaced units retired from service at sea. To use those units as building material is inexpensive compared to traditional materials, such as wood, bricks or steel.”

3. Reusing shipping containers is sustainable construction practice

Recycling of any sort is eco-friendly. This is especially true when it comes to reusing shipping containers. It is, without doubt, sustainable construction practice; recycling unused containers for construction material puts an unused product to use while at the same time cleaning up spaces such as ports and shipyards. Shipping containers are also excellent for making use of solar power and can be insulated with eco-friendly materials.

So, what are you going to do with your old shipping containers? Or perhaps, you have had a construction idea for some time now, that you might rethink? Anyways, I hope my blog post got some of your creative juices flowing! For more inspiring articles, please visit our Container Shipping Knowledge Center.