Panama Canal offers incentive for clean-burning vessels

The environmental incentive program, designed for ship users who meet high efficient standards, will being Jan. 1 and participation is optional.    The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) on Monday launched an environmental incentive program for ship users who meet high efficiency standards.
   The new incentive allows qualified customers the opportunity to improve their position within the Panama Canal’s Customer Ranking System, which gives vessel operators with a good score a better chance to book a slot for transit through the Panama Canal.
   The latest initiative is part of the Canal’s “Green Connection Environmental Recognition Program,” which recognizes customers who implement technologies and standards to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The program encompasses both the Environmental Premium Ranking and Green Connection Award, which was launched in July 2016 to honor Canal customers who comply with the highest environmental performance standards set by the International Maritime Organization.
   The Environmental Premium Ranking will award customers with percentage points in the “number of transits” criteria when calculating the customer ranking.
   Vessels that qualify as “Level 1” will receive an additional 10 percentage points for each transit through the Canal towards their overall customer ranking, and vessels that qualify as “Level 2” will receive an additional 20 percentage points per transit to improve their rank.
   The incentive will become effective for transits beginning Jan. 1. Participation is optional. Interested vessels must request participation and deliver documentation, which supports the environmental efficiency rating at least 96 hours prior to the vessel’s arrival to Canal waters to the following email: greenconnection@pancanal.com.
   “With the addition of the Environmental Premium Ranking to our Recognition Program, we’re rewarding those who make conscious efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and invest in technology that will make shipping even more efficient,” said ACP Administrator Jorge L. Quijano.