Environmental sustainability initiatives enhance smart growth

TOTE: Focusing on Alternative Fuels and Sustainability Benchmarking

TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico introduced the world’s first emissions-reducing liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered containership in 2015. Since then, they have added an additional LNG vessel to their fleet servicing Puerto Rico and converted two formerly diesel-powered vessels servicing Alaska.

According to Chris Willman, Vice President of Commercial at TOTE Maritime Puerto Rico, these moves are the result of TOTE’s mission to comply with clean air regulations and to remain an industry leader in sustainability initiatives. “Being an early adopter of LNG, TOTE has consistently met the evermore stringent regulations governing air quality while supporting our customers and partners that have their own sustainability goals.”

To help TOTE customers achieve key performance indicators of their own environmental social governance initiatives, TOTE recently joined the Green Marine initiative. This rigorous, voluntary environmental certification program audits 15 key areas and requires companies to demonstrate continuous improvement.

“More and more customers are looking at sustainability and what we are doing in that space,” Willman said. “Pursuing Green Marine certification allows us to have clear benchmarks in place and share more data with our customers so they understand our continued commitment to sustainability.”

Willman said that commitment extends beyond the fleet. It includes leading initiatives to treat wastewater, reduce truckers’ idle time in terminals, recycle, and continuously improve. “For us, it’s how we strive to get better in what we are doing in our own fleet and with the assets we have designed and to continue innovating to ensure we are delivering value-added service for our customers.”