GEFO leads the way in discharging cargo ship’s wastewater into ports
GEFO Shipping Group is the first shipping company to set public targets in line with BSAG’s Ship Waste Action initiative in its Baltic Sea Commitment. The company aims to work towards 100% wastewater discharge into shore reception facilities in the Baltic waters.
To achieve its goal, GEFO, with its 148-vessel fleet inland and seagoing combined, teams up with port terminals and instructs and encourages on-board crew to discharge sewage and grey waters at ports. The company informs its onboard management about the No Special Fee system, which guides ports not to charge any extra for black waters in the Baltic Sea region. In addition to wastewater, GEFO minimises and sorts also other waste types and monitors the amounts.
GEFO includes instructions for sewage discharge at ports in its company guidelines, policies, and codes of conduct.
“As a significant and forward-looking company, GEFO is showing an important example for any other actor working in the marine environment of the Baltic Sea region. Shipping companies play a key role here. We are proud to have GEFO on board with us and leading the way,” rejoices Irina Niinivaara, Corporate Relations Manager at BSAG.
Minimising harm to marine environments
GEFO commits to actively communicating its learnings, achievements, and goals to its stakeholders and BSAG, engaging its business partners, and encouraging and challenging also other organisations to act for the benefit of the Baltic Sea.
GEFO Shipping Group has successfully embedded the Green Award program into its core activities. Furthermore, GEFO continues to reduce its environmental footprint by minimizing energy consumption and pollutant emissions. Joining BSAG’s Ship Waste Action initiative was only a logical continuation of this sustainability journey since the marine environment deserves to be protected actively. Both BSAG and GEFO are committed to protect the ecological balance of the Baltic Sea. GEFO Shipping Group goes green and proves this in her wake.
Peter Van Herck, Group HSSEQ Manager, GEFO
GEFO was founded in Germany in 1961. With decades of experience in shipping chemical, gas, and oil in North-West-Europe, GEFO develops its transportation services to meet sustainability requirements and minimise any harm to marine environments. The main office has been Green Award certified, as well as over 70 selected vessels across all fleets. The Green Award can only be obtained by vessels that go above and beyond the industry standards in terms of safety, quality, and environmental performance.
