Baleària (Spain) commits to smart maritime to drive forward eco-efficiency and the sustainable development of its business project
The shipping line Baleària (Spanish shipping company ) is committed to the smart maritime concept to continue driving forward eco-efficiency and sustainable development in the growth of its business project. The company is therefore building three cruise ferries powered by natural gas, which will reduce pollutant emissions, and has plans for three smart and eco-efficient ferry terminals, which will allow for more efficient management and more personalised services for passengers.
On Thursday, Baleària presented its seventh Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability Report “as an exercise in responsibility and transparency before our different stakeholders,” in the words of the shipping line’s Chairman, Adolfo Utor, likewise indicating that the guiding principle behind Baleària is its 3C culture: “We take responsible decisions and actions out of Conviction, Consistency with our aims, and the Compulsion to continue properly managing legal risks”.
Mr Utor explains that the shipping line has underpinned its “commitment to sustainability by espousing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This means that the SDGs have become a route map for Baleària, “with the challenge of running an effective business while contributing to inclusive and sustainable economic growth,” the Chairman asserts.
Innovation and environment
The company’s most senior figure explains that “innovation forms a part of a general strategy to expand and modernise the fleet, prioritising energy efficiency and respect for the environment”. In this regard, three natural-gas-powered smartships are being built, one at the LaNaval shipyard and another two at Cantiere Navale Visentini, in which the company will be investing more than 320 million euros. Mr Utor likewise emphasises that “these cruise ferries will apply a smart service approach to maximise the travel experience at sea”.
In 2016, Baleària sailed 1,045,000 nautical miles on all its routes, 13% more than the previous year, as a result of the increased service offering on some sailings, and the opening of new crossings. The fleet’s Eco-efficiency Index was 0.17 kg CO2/tonne per nautical mile covered.
Responsible corporate citizen
“Baleària makes a significant contribution to the economic and social development of the communities where it operates,” the Chairman points out, explaining that in 2016 “the increase in business generated by our corporate operations allowed us to return more than 347 million euros to both public and private stakeholders, what is known as social cash flow”.
He likewise emphasises that “we have nearly 6,000 suppliers, 85% of which are local”, while the Baleària Foundation, through its cultural programmes, staged more than 70 initiatives, involving 40 artists, and “continued to promote environmental awareness-raising and research projects”.
Customers
In overall terms, during 2016, Baleària carried 13.5 million passengers, and more than 5 million linear metres of cargo vehicles, with a fleet of 25 ships, covering a total of 18 routes in the Balearic Islands, Ceuta and Melilla, Morocco, Algeria the Caribbean.
Aside from its commitment to liquefied natural gas, which has made it a global pioneer in the shipping line sector, other team milestones at Baleària in 2016 include “the opening of new markets, with the sailings to Melilla, and the start of operations in Algeria,” according to Mr Utor. In 2016, the company’s three international routes accounted for 705,000 passengers, an increase of 15%.
The company invested more than 18 million euros in a the purchase of the Dénia Ciutat Creativa centre, and the replacement of the engines on the Avemar Dos fast ferry, while also improving comfort and reliability on other ships in its fleet, gaining a very positive response from customers. The ratio of complaints per thousand passengers continued the downward trend seen in recent years, standing at 0.57.
Baleària people
Meanwhile, the Chairman emphasises the “fundamental role” played by the 1,363 people who make up Baleària, both on Land and in the Fleet, 14% more than in 2015. In order to improve their employability, 83% of the workforce received training, in particular initiatives for fleet officers and area managers, training in natural gas, and a programme to promote employees when opening up international lines. Among the main social benefits, the Chairman emphasises the Fleet social fund, by means of which a proportion of salary payments are allocated to benefits managed by the employees’ representatives (in 2016 covering the health insurance of 199 crew members), and the 21,000 euros raised by workers for the Charity Fund, to help a colleague whose daughter suffers a genetic disorder.