CMA CGM Cease Transport of Plastic Waste on Ships in an Anti-Waste Effort
It’s not breaking news that ocean pollution is horrible and continuing to get worse as time goes on. Many experts have said that ocean pollution at this point is irreversible. It could be hundreds, or even thousands of years, before plastic particles decompose and no longer pose a threat to underwater life.
So, it comes as good news that CMA CGM, the world’s third largest container shipping company, announced it will be halting all transport of plastic waste on its ships to reduce its contribution to ocean pollution.
One Ocean Summit: France
These recent commitments came immediately after the One Ocean Summit in France. The event was a conference led by scientists and leading experts on ocean pollution with the goal of communicating the importance of waste-reduction and the harm that ocean pollution is having on the world at large. Additionally, they recommended solutions to reverse the decline in ocean health.
News was shared at the conference that an estimated 8 to 10 million tons of plastic waste end up in the ocean every single year. At this rate, unless massive efforts are taken to reduce this waste, the amount of plastic entering the ocean could triple in 20 years. If that were to happen, completely irreversible damage will be caused to underwater ecosystems. The ramifications of this would translate to all industries, including manufacturing, food production, and global warming.
There are several reasons contributing to the increase in plastic pollution, but rapidly developing cities near the coast are a major cause. Much of the waste that ends up in the ocean comes from plastic thrown on the ground.
CMA CGM Contribution
In light of all this news, Rodolphe Saade, CEO of CMA CGM, announced that the French-based company will not transport plastic waste on its vessels from this point forward. This is a huge adjustment to CMA CGM’s process, as previously, it has carried around 50,000 containers of plastic waste each year on its vessels.
While the ocean pollution is not the direct responsibility of CMA CGM, it does recognize the role it plays in contributing to ocean waste. The reason for halting the transport of plastic waste is because the company believes it is contributing to ocean pollution by transporting plastic waste to countries where recycling and garbage sorting is weak.
In addition to these efforts made by CMA CGM, several European financial institutions announced they will be taking action. These institutions have massively increased their funding to accelerate the Clean Ocean Initiative, which is the largest global initiative focused on cleaning ocean bodies and reducing plastic pollution. The initiative has raised $1.8 billion for its effort. Projects associated with the initiative are focused on reducing plastic waste, microplastics, and other litter responsible for destruction of underwater ecosystems. Some of their action include improving wastewater treatment, solid waste management, stormwater management, and flood protection.
Contact our team at InterlogUSA for more information regarding this topic. We are happy to field any questions or inquiries you may have with how it can affect your specific situation. Additionally, check out our weekly market updates to stay up to date with relevant freight news and developments across the industry.