BIMCO unveils guide to help shipowners cut single-use plastic

Published: 08 August 2024

BIMCO has published a Best Practice Guide to help shipowners reduce their single-use plastic footprint by installing advanced drinking water systems onboard. The guide aims to ensure the highest quality drinking water is available onboard, prioritising seafarer wellbeing.

A survey by BIMCO in 2021 determined that between half a billion and one billion bottles of drinking water are used on board cargo ships for seafarer hydration needs per year. These are primarily single-use plastic (SUP) bottles. Even with all the best efforts to undertake proper management onboard and discharge of the plastic waste generated, there is still a risk that bottles could reach the ocean due to mismanagement on land becoming part of the “marine litter” problem.

As well as the catastrophic impact poorly managed plastic waste is having on the ocean plastic bottles have other environmental footprints such as high greenhouse gas emission (from production to supply) and high water-demand during production.

At BIMCO we have prioritised actions that allow shipowners to reduce and, where possible remove, SUP bottles from ships and we believe the shipping industry has the opportunity to show real leadership in this area. Our best practice guide shows how simple making an impact can be – as well as highlighting the significant cost-savings and additional business, moral and environmental benefits of stepping away from plastics.

Many of our members have already begun to take action to remove SUP used on their ships and demonstrated the potential to significantly reduce the number of plastic bottles purchased by a company through the purchase or leasing of an advanced drinking water system (or systems) that provides fresh potable water. However, practical guidance on selection of systems and safe operation and maintenance was identified as a limiting factor for those ship owners wishing to implement a change. “The art and science of removing single-use plastic bottles from ships - A practical guide to ensuring safe and high-quality drinking water and realising the environmental benefits of plastic removal” takes the experiences of those members who have made the leap to remove plastic bottle and puts it into some easily digestible steps. It describes technologies designed to replace bottled water and details key questions for you to ask potential suppliers- providing shipowners with the necessary tools to choose the most effective and suitable system. It also outlines different methods to encourage seafarers to trust and consume water produced on board, including regular water testing, transparent communication of test results, and conducting blind taste tests as well as ways to dispel misconceptions about tap water.

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