- MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company has doubled down on its position to avoid considering the Northern Sea Route.
- It includes the Northeast and Northwest Passages on environmental grounds.
- An expansion of Arctic shipping could increase the emissions of so-called black carbon – physical particles of unburned carbon which can settle on land or ice.
A recent news article published in the MSC and Marine Link reveals that MSC reaffirms commitment to avoid arctic cargo routes, helping to limit black carbon and other environmental impacts.
MSC more responsible towards environment
“As a responsible company, this was an obvious decision for us,” commented MSC CEO Soren Toft.
“MSC will not seek to cut through the melting ice of the Arctic to find a new route for commercial shipping and I consider this a position the whole shipping industry must adopt.”
MSC and its key pillars
Minimising, and subsequently reducing, CO2 emissions is a key pillar of the company’s approach to investing in sustainability.
MSC also understands that a reduction in black carbon would not only help tackle climate change, but it could also have benefits for human health.
MSC believes that these concerns should not be overlooked amid the current debate over the impact of the COVID pandemic.
And Suez Canal disruption on supply chains and regards Arctic route exploitation as an unwarranted step in the wrong direction.
Further risks
- Attempting to open new navigation routes which skim the polar ice cap sounds like the ignorant ambition of an 18th century explorer.
- when today it is known that this would pose further risks to humans and many other species in that region, as well as worsen the impact of shipping upon climate change.
MSC supports the decarbonisation targets
MSC supports the decarbonisation targets of the UN International Maritime Organization, including complete decarbonisation of shipping.
And sees no overall merit in using this potential trade route.
The risks and impacts outweigh the benefits of the shorter transits.
There are no shortcuts toward genuine decarbonisation of shipping and this is a shortcut that should definitely be avoided
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Source: MSC & Marine Link
