In line with its ongoing commitment to careful environmental management of its fleet, Wightlink has announced that the new ships being built for the Lymington-Yarmouth and Portsmouth-Ryde routes will all carry Green Passports, issued and verified by Lloyds Register

Wightlink Chief Executive Andrew Willson said that Green Passports were an integral part of the company’s ongoing environmental policy.  This policy includes the implementation of an Environmental Management Action Plan during 2008 under the supervision of Health, Safety and Environmental Manager Nick Hey. Mr Willson said that the plan “builds on the recommendations made by Green Island Tourism after the environmental audit that we jointly conducted in 2007.

“Green issues are crucially important for all of us and the travelling public is more interested than ever before to know how Wightlink is going to manage its operation to minimise damage to the environment.  Although we have always adhered to the guidelines and codes laid down by regulatory bodies, we feel that now is the time to set our own agenda and to drive things forward.  Green passports are part of that agenda,” he said.

In order to implement its action plan, Wightlink has evolved a detailed agenda of activity for 2008,  covering waste management, energy and water use, pollution prevention and purchasing policies.

Extract from Lloyds Register briefing on Green Passports:

What is a Green Passport?

The Green Passport is an inventory of materials present in a ship's structure, systems and equipment that may be hazardous to health or the environment. It is maintained throughout the ship's life. 

Green Passport benefits

Promotes better hazard management, enhancing onboard safety enabling better long-term liability planning.

Can assist financial planning through better awareness of the changing value of assets and of onboard hazard liabilities.

Promotes better overall environmental awareness.

The service provides measurable and achievable objectives for ISO 14001 accreditation. Aids safer and more environmentally sound decommissioning of a ship at the end of its life.

Andrew Willson said that adopting Green Passports for its new ships “will make it easier for Wightlink to promote efficient hazard management among staff during the lifetime of the vessels and to aid their eventual decommissioning in an environmentally responsible way. Adding information on materials used to the Passport on an ongoing basis will assist greatly in the ongoing maintenance of the ships and help our long-term planning.”                                              

For more information, please contact:

Kerry Jackson

Marketing Manager, Isle of Wight Ferries

Tel: 023 9285 5427

kerryjackson@wightlink.co.uk

Christine Ball

CBPR

Tel: 01798 874177

cball@cballpr.co.uk