State ferry operator becomes first Green Marine’s participant in Alaska
Ketchikan, Alaska, October 18, 2018 – Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) has signed on as the newest participating member of Green Marine, the largest voluntary environmental program for the maritime industry in North America.
AMHS is an integral part of the state’s highway infrastructure, transporting people, goods and vehicles to Alaska’s coastal communities year round. It has registered eight ships with the environmental program. The vessels link more than 30 Alaskan communities, many of which are inaccessible by road. The southern gateway cities of Bellingham, Washington, and Prince Rupert, British Columbia, are major AMHS hubs, providing important links between Alaska and The Lower 48.
“Minimizing the impact on our environment is a responsibility we take seriously,” said John F. Falvey, AMHS’s general manager.
“Sustainability remains our principal focus and we believe Green Marine’s collaborative approach is a good fit with our culture of pursuing best practices and exploring new technologies to not only protect the environment but maintain a high quality of life for Alaska’s residents.”
David Bolduc, Green Marine’s executive director, noted Green Marine’s delight at welcoming its first participant north of the 55th parallel. “Alaska Marine Highway System already shows commitment and leadership by participating in other voluntary initiatives to reduce waste and to operate in a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable manner,” he said. Through its participation in Green Marine, AMHS will be able to benchmark its performance and pursue continual improvement.
The environmental certification program offers a map for ship owners, port authorities, terminal operators and shipyard managers to voluntarily reduce their environmental footprint. Using 12 performance indicators, the comprehensive program addresses key environmental issues such as air and greenhouse gas emissions, underwater noise, oily water, and garbage management.
Green Marine certification is a rigorous, measurable and transparent process. All results are independently verified every two years and each company’s individual performance is made public annually.
About Alaska Marine Highway System
The Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) has been operating year-round since 1963. There are currently nine vessels with two additional ferries planned, the MV Tazlina and the MV Hubbard, AMHS routes provide regularly scheduled passenger and vehicle service to more than 30 communities in Alaska. The AMHS’s mission is to provide the safe, reliable, and efficient transportation of people, goods, and vehicles between Alaska communities, as well as Canada, and The Lower 48, while providing opportunities to develop and maintain a reasonable standard of living and good quality of life, including social, education, and health needs.
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