IMPA and Leading Maritime Companies unveil groundbreaking IMEF sustainability initiative set to redefine emissions reporting

IMPA, the International Marine Purchasing Association, alongside its IMPA SAVE Council and multiple other stakeholders, are proud to announce the creation and unanimous endorsement of the new IMPA Maritime Environmental Footprint (IMEF) Initiative. Pioneered under its IMPA SAVE banner, this effort marks another significant milestone in advancing environmental sustainability within the maritime industry and is set to redefine the current approach to calculating Scope 3 emissions.

Recognising the critical importance of accurate and comprehensive emissions reporting, the participating companies have collectively determined that an activity-based approach is the most effective method for calculating Scope 3 emissions. Under the expert guidance of Danish specialists from Reflow Maritime, a comprehensive guidance paper has been developed which is designed to assist maritime stakeholders in the precise calculation and reporting of the Product Carbon Footprint for their maritime components and equipment.

Driving Industry-Wide Change

The IMEF Initiative aims to establish a robust baseline for Scope 3 emissions, thereby facilitating the integration of carbon footprint data as a key selection parameter over time. By doing so, the initiative aspires to drive significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions across the maritime supply chain and promote a more sustainable future for the industry. The full guidance paper is available here.

Participating Companies

Ten major maritime companies—all previous supporters of IMPA’s sustainability efforts under its IMPA SAVE movement—have joined forces so far to unanimously endorse the development of the IMEF Initiative and believe it to be the right step forward:

1. Northern Marine Group;

2. Scorpio Group;

3. Maersk Procurement;

4. Reflow;

5. Wilhelmsen Ship Management;

6. Sea1;

7. Marcas;

8. Oceanic;

9. OSERV Catering;

10. Viking Life-Saving Equipment.

These companies have dedicated significant resources and expertise to the development of the IMEF Initiative, demonstrating their shared commitment to environmental stewardship and industry-wide progress. One can read the Joint Industry Statement on the Formation of the IMEF Initiative available here.

Invitation to the Maritime Community

The success of the IMEF Initiative depends on widespread adoption and collaborative effort across the maritime industry. IMPA extends an open invitation to all maritime stakeholders to join this important endeavour, encouraging other companies to adopt the activity-based approach to calculating Scope 3 emissions and to utilise the guidance paper developed through this collaboration. Companies wanting to get involved and be part of this movement can visit www.impasave.org and make a pledge to support the IMEF Initiative.

Join us on 21 November 2024 for the first IMEF Live Webinar

We warmly invite you to attend the upcoming IMEF Initiative Live Webinar event on Thursday, 21 November 2024 where our expert panel will be able to discuss the IMEF Initiative in detail and answer questions around this new ambitious endeavour. Keep an eye on the IMPA SAVE website at www.impasave.org for the sign-up link which will be posted soon.

IMPA SAVE takes action for our ocean

In 2020, IMPA formed a steering Council named IMPA SAVE on the subject of sustainability and has since become a major player in directing the industry on maritime environmental initiatives. IMPA SAVE aims to support the call to action for the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), becoming the vehicle through which the Sustainability Council alongside IMPA members and marine colleagues work with the industry’s best and brightest and bring knowledge of sustainable solutions to the maritime.

By bringing companies together under the IMPA SAVE programme, IMPA aims to create an opportunity to share knowledge on better, more sustainable practices and alternatives through regular webinars and conferences, in order to motivate each other to be better stewards of our oceans through procurement and supply chain management and committing and impact reporting.

Stephen Alexander, IMPA’s Chief Operating Officer, said: “SAVE’s mantra is now a well-known but essential narrative: guarding the people, our planet, profit and our higher purpose. We must save cost and save the environment, and those working throughout the supply chain have a huge role to play in this.”

The first project entitled ‘Getting to Zero’ aimed to dramatically reduce the amount of plastic drinking water bottles purchased for the world’s fleet and has come a long way. With now more than 100 major companies directly committed, including 15% of the global fleet, the movement has so far removed more than 100m plastic bottles every year, and this number is continually on the rise.

About IMPA

IMPA was founded in 1978 by a group of senior purchasing executives in the shipping industry and today represents more than 1000 companies around the world. It operates under a five-pillar programme that includes events and networking, membership programme, sustainability initiatives, the Marine Stores Guide.