The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) published its Code of Practice for Environmental Sustainability in May 2021. Following research amongst members, focussed working groups are being established to speedily drive forward preparation of guidance on key elements such as the circular economy, supply chain engagement, life below water, and environmental performance factors to enable members to move forward with their organisation’s Environmental Sustainability Performance, reports Marine Insight.
About the code
The Code, created by the global experts on IMCA’s Environmental Sustainability Committee, sets expectations for the marine contracting industry in managing key environmental and climate topics.
Following a successful launch and engagement process the Code was used as a basis for developing a self-assessment questionnaire for IMCA members to establish how they are performing in terms of Environmental Sustainability. The results of the first assessment, having been collated and analysed, highlight the areas where additional focus is required. The collection of this self-assessment data will be repeated later in 2022 and again in 2023 to understand the progress that has been made.
The initial data gathered from IMCA members who responded to 70 questions revealed that:
- 65% aim to achieve net zero emissions by 2050
- 56% use digitalisation tools for emissions reduction and 60% for energy efficiency
- 57% have an emissions roadmap in place
- 66% understand the circular economy and 61% apply the concept to waste management and end of life assets
As the Chair of IMCA’s Environmental Sustainability Committee Ezrah Schraven commented:
“The results of the assessment show there is still a long journey ahead however it helps to identify the initial areas of focus and where guidance and support are required for IMCA members; and informs the Committee’s next steps.
“We are now establishing working groups to focus on the circular economy, supply chain engagement, life below water and environmental performance factors. These groups are the first steps in building IMCA’s guidance in Environmental Sustainability and will be the building blocks for future years’ work.”
