Volkswagen Joins Clean Shipping Network
First Major Automaker to Use Assessment Tool for Environmental Data
Wolfsburg, February 5, 2014 /3BL Media/ - The Volkswagen Group is the first German automaker to join the Clean Shipping Network, an association of cargo owners. In future, Volkswagen Group Logistics will use the Clean Shipping Index (CSI) assessment tool to analyze and reduce the environmental impact of marine shipment. This step is part of the Volkswagen Group’s strategy with the objective of anchoring environmental sustainability in more and more business activities along the process chain.
The data in the CSI make the environmental efficiency of marine shipment more comparable. The index allows the members of the Clean Shipping Network to determine the emissions of individual ships and individual routes and therefore to take valid environmental criteria into consideration in the selection of vessels. Apart from chemicals and waste disposal, the index also includes carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxide (NOx) and sulfur oxide (SOx) emissions.
Thomas Zernechel, Head of Volkswagen Group Logistics: “Within the Clean Shipping Network, Volkswagen Group Logistics will intensify its efforts to ensure that ships cause lower emissions and that exhaust gases are treated. In addition, Volkswagen intends to promote the inclusion of other criteria such as the reduction of particulate emissions in the index.”
Leif Miller, Chairman of NABU (Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union), the leading environment association in Germany: “It is a meaningful step, which we welcome, for Volkswagen Group Logistics to join the Clean Shipping Network. Especially emissions of carcinogenic very fine particles need to be restricted. We hope that Volkswagen will serve as a model for many other companies in joining the Network.”
Merijn Houghee, Director of the Clean Shipping Index: “Germany has many large companies which can provide effective support for sustainable shipping. We hope that many other companies will follow the example set by Volkswagen in joining the Network.”
Volkswagen is also actively participating in the Green Logistics Session at the Automobile Logistics Forum being held by Verband der Automobilindustrie (VDA) and Bundesvereinigung Logistik (BVL) in Frankfurt am Main, which ends today.
