HAL Celebrates World Oceans Day With Environmental & Philanthropic Awards
June 12, 2015 /3BL Media/ - On June 8, Holland America Line celebrated World Oceans Day, a United Nations-recognized day of ocean celebration and action. It’s a day where Holland America Line can share our devotion to the oceans on which we sail and our commitment to support sustaining those oceans. And it’s the ideal day to talk about a few environmental awards we’ve recently won that are an honored to accept.
Whether directly related to environmental protection or supporting local communities, Holland America Line takes pride in being a socially and environmentally responsible company.
GREEN GATEWAY AWARD
At a reception June 1, 2015, during the annual Vigor Seattle Maritime Festival Luncheon aboard Statendam, the Port of Seattle presented Holland America Line with a Green Gateway Award. The cruise line was recognized for its commitment to protecting the environment, including the practice of not discharging ballast water in Puget Sound and for using marine sanitation devices onboard its vessels.
The Port of Seattle presents the Green Gateway Awards to cruise and container lines that call at the port and whose environmental efforts are deemed worthy of recognition. This year the award also was presented to Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, COSCO and Maersk.
Additional awards given out at the event were the Seattle Propeller Club Public Officials of the Year presented to Port of Tacoma Commissioner Stephanie Bowman and Port of Tacoma Commissioner Clare Petrich, as well as Seattle Propeller Club Maritime Person of the Year that was given to Vince O’Halloran.
Last year Holland America Line received the Green Gateway Award from the Port of Seattle for its use of shore power and comprehensive practices to reduce emissions. Holland America Line also was named the 2014 Marine Environmental Business of the Year by the Port of Seattle. The company was honored for its efforts to reduce its global environmental footprint through a series of objectives that greatly reduce consumption of fuel and water, engine emissions and generation of solid waste.
Seattle offers the lowest carbon footprint for cargo shipped by sea from Asia to major markets in the Midwest and East Coast, making it the “Green Gateway” for trade. That designation was determined by the “Carbon Footprint Study of the Asia to North America Intermodal Trade” conducted by Herbert Engineering Corp., which looks at CO2 emissions of intermodal shipments from Asia to North American markets.
PORT METRO VANCOUVER BLUE CIRCLE AWARD
At a reception June 2, 2015, Holland America Line was presented with a Port Metro Vancouver 2014 Blue Circle Award for its ongoing commitment to sustainability. The award is bestowed on companies that participate in Port Metro Vancouver’s EcoAction Program and strive to reduce emissions and shrink their carbon footprint.
Holland America Line was one of 16 companies to receive the honor, and one of just four cruise lines. Holland America Line has won the award every year since its inception in 2009.
The EcoAction Program is a unique way of encouraging cleaner ships by offering financial incentives for vessels that implement emission-reduction measures and other environmental practices. The Blue Circle Award recognizes a company’s commitment to sustainability.
In 2014, through shore power use in Vancouver and the Port’s EcoAction Program, participants contributed to an overall reduction of more than 3,000 tons of GHG emissions.
CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP AWARDS 2015
In May, the Puget Sound Business Journal handed out its Corporate Citizenship Awards for 2015 to philanthropists and companies who have made significant contributions in the arts, education, global giving, health care, economic opportunity, neighborhoods and the environment. Holland America Line was among this year’s honorees.
The awards recognize the top 75 corporate philanthropists in the state of Washington from the previous calendar year (2014, in this case). Companies are ranked in one of three categories — large, medium or small – based on annual revenues: more than $500M, from $20M to $500M, and under $20M, respectively. Holland America Line was No. 25 on the list of the largest corporate givers.
How did you honor the environment this World Oceans Day? Tell us below!
Green Gateway photos courtesy of Don Wilson/Port of Seattle.
