Thor Heyerdahl International Maritime Environmental Award Presented to NYK Line, the First Shipping Company to Ever Receive This Award
May 20, 2005
Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK Line) was presented with the Thor Heyerdahl International Maritime Environmental Award by Mr. Borge Brende, Minister of Trade and Industry in the Kingdom of Norway, on May 19, 2005, at the Hotel New Otani in Tokyo. NYK is the first Shipping company to ever be honored with this award.
NYK was given this distinction because its environmental activities have been judged to be worthy of praise. These activities include the establishment of a Safety and Environmental Management Committee - chaired by NYK President Koji Miyahara - in addition to the use of NYK's own NAV9000 system to reduce environmental risk. Further, NYK remains globally committed to safe vessel operations and environmental conservation in cooperation with the owners of chartered vessels and ship-management companies.
Encouraged by this award, NYK will look to strengthen its commitment to safe vessel operations and global environmental preservation with a view to becoming a model corporation in the maritime industry.
The Thor Heyerdahl International Maritime Environmental Award
The purpose of this award is to contribute to an improvement of the global environment, to announce to all segments of society the environmental benefits of shipping as a mode of transport, and to serve as an inspiration for implementing new, specific environmental measures.
Dr. Thor Heyerdahl and the Norwegian Shipowners' Association established the award in June 1999, and the winner is selected every two years. In 2001 the Green Award Foundation won the award, and in 2003 the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation was recognized for its contribution to the environment. (www.heyerdahlaward.com)
NAV9000
Because NYK operates many chartered vessels, the company put together a set of comprehensive standards and systems back in 1998 called NAV9000, and since then has worked with shipowners and ship-management companies to ensure safe operation of and environmental protection by all vessels shipping goods for NYK. Periodic audits are performed and calls for improvements are made. To date, 1,818 seagoing vessels and 138 companies have been audited, and about 12,000 improvements have been made. When nonconformities are discovered through NAV audits, NYK conducts discussions with the parties concerned and communicates information about improvements to all seagoing vessels by means of a safety-information publication - Calm Sea - that is issued by NYK to help to prevent the recurrence of similar nonconformities.
NYK Group is a global maritime service provider with strong presence in the logistics sector also. NYK Group currently employs 33,000 staff and operates 660 ships in the container, car transport, LNG, tanker, dry cargo, specialized cargo and cruise industry worldwide.