The Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) has announced that A.P. Moller – Maersk has joined its global membership body. Having invested significant energy and resources in reducing the environmental impacts of its operations in the past decade, A.P. Moller – Maersk has a track record of "taking leadership on sustainability that makes them a perfect fit with the RSB’s role" in developing a truly sustainable bioeconomy.
In recognising that the shipping industry has a responsibility to contribute to achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement and that the development of sustainable biofuels is a necessary step to ensure long-term and responsible emissions reductions, A.P. Moller – Maersk is taking leadership in a global industry that transports 90 percent of global trade by volume.
With the ambition to build and unleash the potential of the bioeconomy in the marine sector, A.P. Moller – Maersk brings, says RSB, a “wealth of expertise to the membership platform, benefitting both the development of our standards and policies and their fellow members.”
The company has collaborated with cutting-edge research institutions for several years to assess the potential for using biofuels in ships engines and, having achieved impressive emissions reductions with other interventions (including a 43 percent reduction in emissions of CO2 per container moved in Maersk Line in 2017 compared to 2007), has vast experience in developing and implementing sustainability practices on a large scale.
We are excited to join RSB as we recognise that biofuels can contribute to developing a sustainable future. Collaborating with a cross-sector initiative like RSB to develop a bio-economy in marine fuels is the only sensible approach to ensure all aspects are considered, said John Kornerup Bang, A.P. Moller – Maersk
According to RSB, by choosing to join A.P. Moller – Maersk is recognising the importance not only of biofuels in reducing their impacts but of the need for true social and environmental accountability across the biofuels supply chain and that RSB’s collaborative platform will also afford A.P. Moller – Maersk the opportunities to work with and learn from leaders in other industries who bring their own expertise and insights to the membership body.
I am incredibly pleased to welcome A.P. Moller – Maersk to the RSB. I am certain that their experience and enthusiasm for building a sustainable bioeconomy for the marine industry will find a great home among our diverse members. The company has a bold vision for transforming the marine industry and the RSB is proud to play a role in supporting that. Collaboration across all areas of the growing bioeconomy – be it marine and aviation or bioplastics and textiles – benefits everyone, and we are proud to provide a platform that enables such partnerships and cross-sector innovations, said Rolf Hogan, Executive Director, RSB.
