123 Environmental programmes such as ISO14001 and Green Marine certificates can help shipyards to reassure their customers that they themselves operate sustainably. Embedding sustainability in their purchasing terms and conditions is another signal of commitment. Other areas where shipyards can take the lead include transitioning to renewably sourced materials and composites designed to optimise performance and reduce impact on the living environment; moving away from reliance on non-renewables and fossil fuels; monitoring and targeting energy use; and embracing new technologies such as robotics, AI and digital software. All of these possibilities must be seen in the context in which shipyards work, which is competitive and focused on the bottom line. Most yards control their vendor lists very tightly, making it difficult to know whether priority is given to sustainability. But it can only be good for business for yards to expand their lists to incorporate sustainable materials in the options presented to owners. Classification societies Classification societies command trust in the industry as they set standards for performance and certification. Their status makes them obvious candidates for the role of arbiters regarding what is sustainable. Some respondents to this report suggested that these organisations might be good choices to take ownership of a sustainability standard and a reporting system or licence that could be applied to the maritime interiors sector. The main classification societies already include the class notation ‘green,’ focusing mainly on machinery, but it could be extended to interior materials, (for instance, with requirements on durability and recycling). Alternatively, this might entail the creation of a new notation specifically for interiors. There are also suggestions that, if classification societies were to take on the task of developing such a standard, it could make sustainable practices more affordable and accessible to organisations that currently find testing of materials to IMO standards too costly and complex. This indicates that a standardised, perhaps centrally defined, approach that defines and measures sustainability in design and installation of interiors across the ship would be welcomed. Such a system could cover raw materials and sources manufacturing, shipping, adhesives, fixtures and fittings, and more. It is logical to assume that, as sustainability becomes more important to the industry in general, classification societies should adopt more environmental practices within their inspection criteria. As the gate keepers in terms of quality and safety, these organisations can be the source of reliable certification of products. Within their current scope of activities there is plenty of potential for them to work towards clarity in certification of sustainable materials to allow their use; remove barriers for development of sustainable products and their implementation; and implement sustainability criteria and notations for interiors (or the complete ship including interiors). – “Classification societies are trusted advisors to cruise and ferry companies – they are well placed to provide interior and interior related certification services”
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzQ1NTk=