No. H034/12
For release - April 23, 2012
OTTAWA — Transport Canada and Green Marine have signed a memorandum of cooperation to enhance environmental protection and performance in the marine shipping sector. The agreement was announced today to members of the Canadian Marine Advisory Council at its annual meeting in Ottawa. The memorandum of cooperation formalizes a cooperative agreement and designates Transport Canada as a “Green Marine supporter.”
As part of the agreement, Transport Canada and Green Marine will work together to:
- enhance the industry’s environmental performance benchmarking;
- support efforts to promote Green Marine goals and successes nationally;
- collect environmental data and develop environmental performance measurement standards; and
- identify ways to promote industry best practices, measures and strategies that can further address environmental issues in the marine sector.
“Transport Canada’s support will play a key role in expanding the program’s scope in terms of both content and industry participation,” said Raymond Johnston, chair of Green Marine’s board of directors. “The memorandum of cooperation recognizes Green Marine as a unique opportunity to promote a culture of continuous environmental improvement on a voluntary basis among shipowners, port authorities, terminal operators, the St. Lawrence Seaway and shipyards.”
Under the memorandum of cooperation, Transport Canada will also participate as an observer on the Green Marine Environment Committees. This will involve monitoring developments and exchanging information to support the advancement of Green Marine’s goals.
Green Marine, founded in 2007, is a voluntary marine industry initiative with the goal of achieving levels of environmental performance that exceed regulatory requirements in areas such as air emissions, aquatic invasive species, and cargo residues.
There are currently over 65 ship owners, port authorities, terminals and shipyards from coast to coast, in Canada and the United States, participating in the program.
In 2011, Green Marine received the prestigious Sustainable Shipping Award for Green Shipping Initiative of the Year that recognized the program’s credibility and relevance on the international scene.
For more information about Green Marine and the memorandum of cooperation, please visit www.green-marine.org.
– 30 –
Contacts:
Manon Lanthier
Communications Officer
Green Marine
Quebec City
418-648-4572, ext.100
Cell: 418-569-5110
manon.lanthier@green-marine.org
Media Relations
Transport Canada, Ottawa
613-993-0055
Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to e-news at www.tc.gc.ca/e-news or stay connected through RSS, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr to keep up to date on the latest from Transport Canada.
This news release may be made available in alternative formats for persons living with visual disabilities.
