Damen, Bellona Partner on Low-emission Designs

A three-year partnership has been launched between Oslo-based NGO Bellona Foundation and Dutch company Damen Shipyards Group with the main goal of exploring and developing concept vessels for the future. The agreement was officially signed March 18 during an industry event in Stavanger. 

The Bellona Foundation and Damen both acknowledge that today’s global shipping industry will need to undergo substantial change to achieve its own climate and environmental objectives. The NGO and Damen have joined forces to work toward reducing the impact on the climate of a range of commercial and leisure vessels, as well as fleets employed by the aquaculture industry.

"One of Bellona’s goals is to make the ships of the future independent of fossil fuels. This partnership will provide us with new knowledge on innovative shipping construction that will contribute towards achieving that objective, said Frederic Hauge, founder and president of The Bellona Foundation. “Today the global shipping industry emits large amounts of CO2, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and other gases harmful to the climate and environment, and the European fleet is large and in need of renewal. The next three years of partnership with Damen will make us better equipped to handle the challenges, both domestically and internationally.”

Damen’s Remko Hottentot, Sales Manager Norway, stationed at Damen’s Norway Office in Stavanger, added, “We have a strong focus on sustainability and the vision of each organization complements the other in terms of environmental awareness. At Damen, the focus will be on creating alternative solutions that contribute to reducing harmful maritime emissions into both the air and the water. This will go hand in hand with initiatives to develop cost-effective efficiencies through reduced consumption of potentially harmful inputs such as fuel, paint and lubricating oil. During this long term relationship we foresee in general a valuable focus on cooperating in the creation of environmental technical sustainable solutions and the fostering of political support.”

Hauge believes that the Bellona Foundation, as well as Norway’s maritime community as a whole, can learn a good deal from Damen when it comes to developing the next generation of low-emissions vessels. He sees Damen as an international trendsetter challenging the Norwegian mindset in a positive manner. 

From his perspective this partnership will improve the Bellona Foundation’s capability to influence both the Norwegian and European shipping industries. Bellona has a 29-year track record of working on maritime political matters at an international level, from its offices in both Oslo and Brussels. The partnership with Damen grants Bellona access to new knowledge and technology that will enable it to influence Norwegian and European politics even more than before.