International classification society RINA has been recognised by Sweden’s Clean Shipping Project as able to verify ships and shipping companies in accordance with verification guidelines developed for ranking in the Clean Shipping Index.

The Clean Shipping Index is backed by a number of Swedish bodies, many of Sweden’s largest cargo shippers, and the EU. It is an index taking a holistic perspective on the environmental issues of shipping. It takes into account the environmental effects connected to shipping, such as emissions to air and water, and the use of chemicals and antifouling, and ranks vessels or shipping companies according to their performance under each criteria. It is aimed at giving charterers a clearer view of the environmental performance of shipping providers.

The standard is fully aligned with the RINA Green Plus notation, a goal-based scheme aimed at certifying the environmental index of ships, and it clearly rewards those operators who invest strongly in environmental sustainability.

Pino Spadafora, RINA Group Area Manager for Baltic, Benelux and Scandinavia, says, “This recognition by the CSI is important for two reasons. It recognises RINA’s commitment to – and expertise in – environmental assessment, and it is another part of our expansion in this region.”

In recent months RINA has been recognised by the Norwegian Maritime Directorate as able to carry out statutory certification services on its behalf on Norwegian vessels, and also by the Polish and Faroe Islands’ administrations for similar authorisations.

“We are seeing Scandinavian owners increasingly recognising and valuing our environmental commitment and our special service,” says Spadafora. “For example, Dannebrog Rederi, a well-known Danish shipowner, has recently moved two chemical tankers to RINA class, building on good experience with RINA classing several of its dry cargo vessels. With our extensive experience with all types of vessels and our strategy of focusing on the environment, we make good partners for Scandinavian companies, which tend to have a strong green commitment themselves.”