Port of Seattle names APL top shipping line for environment

APL has been named the most environmentally responsible shipping line at the Port of Seattle.

The Singapore-based line topped all applicants in the port’s Green Gateway Partners Award program. The honor, to be presented later this month, is the second in two years for APL.

“APL has done an exceptional job with environmental stewardship and received the highest score of all the applicants,” said Port of Seattle CEO Tay Yoshitani.

APL received 98.2 points from judges out of a possible 100 for a comprehensive sustainability program that includes using cleaner low-sulphur fuel on vessels at the port to cut 3.5 tons of particulate matter emissions and 30 tons of sulphur oxides emissions annually.

The program includes transferring import containers directly to railcars to eliminate 1 million miles of truck transport and 2,600 metric tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, and avoiding ballast water discharge to keep invasive organisms out of local waterways.

In 2007, APL voluntarily became the first carrier to use more costly low-sulphur fuel in Seattle. The program has been expanded to ports in Hong Kong, Los Angeles, New Jersey, New York, Oakland, Singapore, Vancouver, and the European Union. < Korea Shipping Gazette >