Carbon neutral commitments as a key step on the path to ensuring a low carbon future – Heerema leads the charge!

The Paris Agreement’s central goal is to keep increases in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, and to pursue efforts to limit them to 1.5°C. December 12th 2020 marks the 5th Anniversary of this landmark agreement, where there will be a global stocktake to assess progress towards achieving this goal. A further catalyst for climate action is the IMO’s target to reduce the shipping sector’s overall CO2 output by at least 50% from 2008 levels by 2050. Targets are key to setting the level of ambition and to monitoring over time how globally and within industries and businesses, we are responding to the risks and opportunities posed by climate change.

October was a month of firsts in addressing the climate emergency. In the UK, the National Health Service announced its intention to be the world’s first carbon net zero national health system. And in our own industry, Heerema Marine Contractors led the charge in becoming the first major marine contractor to commit to go carbon neutral this year, alongside some of its clients’ net zero commitments. It will be interesting to see other major marine contractors following suit.

Heerema notes on its website (https://hmc.heerema.com/about/sustainability/heerema-carbon-neutral/) that its carbon emissions relate to the offshore projects executed for its clients, and are mainly derived from fuel combustion in its vessels – traditionally ultra-low Marine Gas Oil or LNG in the case of its sustainable heavy lift vessel, the Sleipnir.

Initially, this commitment will be achieved through investments in carbon offsetting aligned to its sustainable value creation mission, whereby it will compensate for its carbon footprint of roughly 250,000 metric tons of carbon emitted per year. Over time, Heerema Marine Contractors aims to be carbon neutral using, where feasible, zero emission technology to remove emissions from source. Heerema has also set clear and actionable annual targets for the next five years for how it will prevent, reduce and compensate its carbon emissions.

This builds on its previous efforts, in particular in reducing their emissions with its Sleipnir vessel and its Rotterdam mooring Shore Power connection. These targets will be key measures of Heerema’s in helping to contribute towards achieving the Paris Agreement goal.

For more information, please contact [email protected].