We’re on board for responsible shipping

The Responsible Shipping Initiative (RSI) is a new non-profit collaboration between leading Swedish dry cargo shipping buyers. By introducing standards and improving information-sharing, the initiative will enable more efficient inspections of the dry cargo ships. Together with other stakeholders, the aim is to raise the bar where needed, and to improve working conditions, health and safety and environmental performance on board dry cargo ships in the Baltic Sea and North Sea.

"As a major transportation player, we have a duty to ensure that transport activities are carried out responsibly. Responsible transportation is in line with our sustainability targets and therefore a very important issue for us. We are very happy that this partnership is now underway and hope that our joint efforts will lead to both short-term and long-term results,” said Anders Ripström, Purchasing Manager, Logistics and Transportation at Södra.

The background to the initiative is that major Swedish dry cargo shipping buyers have recently become aware of problems on contracted vessels. The formation of RSI will enable buyers of maritime transport to impose the same type of requirements in transport agreements and thereby put joint pressure on shipping companies to comply with the terms and conditions.

For the shipping companies, major Swedish dry cargo shipping buyers will apply the same standard for inspections. In addition, the buyers will be able to share the results with each other instead of having to carry out their own inspections.

The RSI hopes that more dry cargo shipping buyers will endorse the initiative to promote more responsible sea transport.