In a press release issued this week, FoS explained the rationale behind the creation of the scheme, stating: “Seafood, like most food stuff, is shipped mainly by sea across the globe. The potential environmental impact of this important part of the production cycle is never taken in consideration by sustainability certification programs or seafood guides. Friend of the Sea has led the way by introducing a specific requirement in Version 3 of its standard. Certified companies are now recommended to use only Friend of the Sea shipping companies.”
A few months ago, two large global shipping companies, GreenSea and Seatrade, were found compliant with the Friend of the Sea criteria and have achieved the certification. More audits are in the pipeline and the list of certified shipping companies is likely to grow in the next few months.
“Merchant shipping is currently carrying more than 90% of international trade. Although some shipping companies have already implemented several strict sustainability measures, there are still many of them which don’t even comply with the minimum requirements,” explains Paolo Bray, Founder and Director of Friend of the Sea.
“This is why an international certification for sustainable shipping…is fundamental for producers and retailers to easily select environmentally-friendly shipping companies. This is even more important for companies which claim sustainability of their seafood’s origin.”
The Friend of the Sea Sustainable Shipping certification criteria includes pollution prevention, water and waste control, social accountability and sustainable seafood requirements.
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