The maritime industry was recognised for its efforts at going green, with a shipping and logistics company bagging two awards at the 19th Singapore Environmental Achievement Awards on Wednesday (July 20).
Wallenius Wilhemsen Logistics (WWL) won the SEC-CDL Outstanding Singapore Environmental Achievement Award, making it the second consecutive year that a maritime organisation has received the award.
Last year’s winner was the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA).
WWL also won the inaugural SEC-MPA Singapore Environmental Achievement Award (Maritime), which serves to recognise maritime companies that are at the forefront of sustainability efforts.
The company won for establishing measures to reduce their atmospheric and marine pollutant emissions, such as limiting sulphur at berth to less than 0.1 per cent for all vessels in all ports globally.
It is also one of the founding members of Trident Alliance, an international coalition of more than 35 ship owners and operators from 12 countries launched in July 2014 to raise awareness on the enforcement of sulphur regulations.
The awards ceremony held at Orchard Hotel saw seven winners for the six award categories receive plaques from Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli.
Two of them were repeat winners in the same category. Construction and infrastructure company Samwoh Corporation previously won the SEC-SETSCO Singapore Environmental Achievement Award (Manufacturing) in 2010.
The Housing Board (HDB), which last won the SEC-Senoko Energy Green Innovation Award in 2013, was lauded for developing the Urban Environmental Modelling (UEM) tool.
The UEM incorporates environmental factors such as wind and sunshine into its planning and urban design, optimising city planning by simulating wind flow patterns, solar irradiance, shading, noise exposure and sky view analysis.
It has been adopted as part of the master plans for new estates in Punggol, Bidadari and Tampines North.
At the event, chairman of the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) Isabella Loh said that products from pulp and paper manufacturers, as well as mill operators, will soon come under the Singapore Green Labelling Scheme (SGLS).
Under the enhanced SGLS, this new category will focus on additional aspects for evaluation such as the company’s fire mitigation and management practices, management of peat lands, commitment towards zero burning, and site surveillance.
More details will be announced at the end of the year.
Source: StraitsTimes
