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Leading international classification society Bureau Veritas has completed the first certification audit of any shipping company in the world to the new Energy Management Systems standard ISO 50001- 2011.

Stena’s ship management division, Northern Marine Management Ltd., including Northern Marine Management (USA) LLC, has achieved certification to BS ISO 50001, which ensures systematic monitoring and control of energy usage, helping to optimize efficiency, reduce fuel consumption, reduce the company’s environmental footprint and provide a cost saving for the vessels' owners.

Only four other organisations in the UK have this certification, one being the Royal Mint, and no other shipping company has yet achieved this.

Northern Marine Management technically manages fifty-seven vessels, including the Stena tanker and gas carrier fleet as well as vessels for various other blue chip ship owners.

Commenting on the news, Philip Fullerton, Technical Director, Northern Marine Management, said: “Achieving this new and high standard for energy management across the whole company is a key step for us in demonstrating that shipping is at the forefront of environmental responsibility.”

BS ISO 50001 Energy Management Systems is intended to assist organizations in making better use of their existing energy consuming assets, create transparency and facilitate communication on the management of energy resources and promote energy management best practices and reinforce good energy management behaviours.

ISO 50001 accreditation demonstrates Northern Marine’s commitment to energy management and conservation. Northern Marine implemented its first Shipboard Energy Management Plans on board its Stena AB vessels during 2005. Last year an environmental and energy efficiency rating scheme was implemented on five of the company’s ro-ro vessels. That meant the monitoring and measurement processes were largely in place for the new fleet and company-wide standard. These were codified and documented with clear statements of intent in the form of the Company’s two new policies: the “Safety, Environmental, Energy & Quality Policy” and the “Energy management and Efficiency Policy”.

Claude Maillot, ships in service director, Bureau Veritas, commented: “This is an important step for Northern Marine and for shipping as a whole. It shows how shipping can be a leader in responsible energy use. And it demonstrates the strength and range of Bureau Veritas’ range of environmental services, as we were able to combine energy use assessment ashore and at sea into this one new and high standard.”