“GL Excellence - 5 Stars” Certification, GL award to Hapag-Lloyd

On December 21st, Hapag-Lloydas was the first liner shipping company worldwide to receive the new “GL Excellence - 5 Stars” award from Germanischer Lloyd. The award is for the introduction of high standards of safety and security, environment and quality.

“Consequential customer orientation, comprehensive service quality and high requirements for safety and security are traditionally part of our corporate philosophy. For the first time a certificate compiles objective, provable criteria in sensitive, important areas for the customer,” stressed Adolf Adrion, a Hapag-Lloyd AG executive board member, at the presentation of the “GL Excellence - 5 Stars”.

The certificate was awarded by Germanischer Lloyd (GL), one of the world’s leading classification societies. GL provides ships validation, surveys the technical safety of ships, issues building regulations, monitors the construction of newbuildings and certifies building units and materials. Over and above this, GL also carries out mandatory duties such as 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 ships’ officers in calculating routes that are safe for ships and cargo and are economically efficient.

A further contribution for environmental protection is the “Environmental Passport”. It will be issued for measures carried out voluntarily that help to improve maritime environmental protection. The company also invests in training. GL has certified that seafarers at Hapag-Lloyd attend an above average number of in-house vocational and in-service training courses.

“Hapag-Lloyd fully meets very high safety and quality requirements. Therefore, this shipping company is a role model in the liner trade,” declared Dr. Hermann J. Klein, a member of the executive board of Germanischer Lloyd at the award giving ceremony at the Hapag-Lloyd headquarters in Ballindamm.