GL Presents Award to Hapag-Lloyd

As the first liner shipping company worldwide Hapag-Lloyd has today been awarded the GL Excellence – 5 Stars newly introduced by Germanischer Lloyd. The award is for the introduction of high standards of safety and security, environment and quality. The certificate was awarded by Germanischer Lloyd (GL), one of the world’s leading classification societies. GL provides a kind of ships’ validation, surveying the technical safety of ships, issuing building regulations, monitoring the construction of newbuildings and certifying building units and materials. Over and above this GL carries out mandatory duties, for example with safety and security management systems for flag states.

Hapag-Lloyd is the first container shipping line worldwide to be certified with the newly established standard “GL Excellence – 5 Stars”. This standard calls for the implementation of health and safety measures, certification in line with ISO 9001 (quality), ISO 14001 (environment), ISM Code (International Safety Management) and ISPS Code (International Ship and Port Facility Security) for the prevention of maritime danger. New on the one hand is that the essential requirements have been consolidated, and on the other hand include requirements that go far above and beyond these international standards and regulations. All ships in the Hapag-Lloyd fleet have TBT-free underwater coatings, in order to burden the environment as little as possible. Over and above this the ships will gradually be given a biocide-free silicon coating, significantly reducing fuel consumption at the same time. In addition Hapag-Lloyd relies on the Shipboard Routing Assistance System, which supports the ships’ officers in calculating a route that is safe for ship and cargo and is economically efficient. A further contribution to environmental protection is the “Environmental Passport”. It will be issued for measures carried out voluntarily which help to improve maritime environmental protection. Over and above that the company invests in training. GL certifies that seafarers at Hapag-Lloyd attend an above average number of in-house vocational and in-service training courses.