Discover our 2025 sustainability mission

Sustainability: Our plans for 2025

Sustainability is not a passing trend at AEGIR-Marine. Quite the opposite, says the company’s Safety & Sustainability Manager Rob de Wit. “It’s an ongoing process to become more sustainable in every nerve of our organisation.” It’s an ambition that is not without its challenges: AEGIR-Marine is a thriving global company that displays consistent year-on-year growth. In our conversation with Rob, we discovered that the solutions are just as much to be found in ‘thinking big’ as ‘keeping things closer to home’.

Starting our conversation at the smaller end of the sustainability scale, Rob tells us that he has just had a successful meeting with the local municipality to discuss a tree-planting programme around AEGIR-Marine’s Dutch headquarters. Like many industrial companies, AEGIR-Marine’s head office is located on an almost treeless industrial estate. “We currently have no trees growing on our premises: none whatsoever,” says Rob. “Together with the municipality, we have found ten spots where big trees can be planted.”

There are several reasons to plant more trees, Rob adds. “Trees store CO2, they create shade, they can store water, give space to birds and small animals, and people become more happy from seeing a tree instead of concrete. I hope that this is going to be an example for other companies located on industrial estates. If every company planted ten trees, this would have a big impact.” In fact, it was the CO2 uptake potential of planting trees that motivated AEGIR-Marine’s recent decision to create a ‘tiny forest’ in a local park. “We began planting the forest in March, which will not only promote local biodiversity and create a wonderful space for the community, but also help to offset our company’s CO2 emissions.”

Not forgetting the human aspect of the subject of sustainability, AEGIR-Marine will once again be carrying out its annual employee satisfaction survey later this year. This will take place in November and, if the results from previous years are anything to go by, are expected to result in recognition as a World-class Workplace label.

Reducing CO2 emissions is a critical part of AEGIR-Marine’s sustainability goals. The first step of this involves CO2 measurement. To this end, the company will be continuing measuring its scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions throughout 2025. Read more about AEGIR-Marine’s CO2 measurement from 2021 here.

In terms of identifying possible ways to reduce CO2 emissions, Rob is very well aware of the challenge that lies ahead. “We work in quite a traditional industry. The products we deliver to shipowners have hardly changed in 70 or 80 years. Moreover, our company keeps growing, so our total emissions will grow. However, we are constantly working on new, more sustainable production methods and products as well as looking for ways to reduce our CO2 emissions.”

It is at this point that Rob provides a quote from the children’s book character Pippi Longstocking. “She fearlessly said ‘I have never tried that before, so I think I should definitely be able to do that’ which is something that we truly believe in. CO2 reduction is new for us: we have never done it. But that doesn’t mean that we think we cannot do it. We have got ideas to start up the discussion.” It is this innovative mindset that was the driving force behind AEGIR-Marine’s application for B Corp certification (marking a first for the worldwide maritime industry).

AEGIR-Marine’s ideas to reduce CO2 emissions are spread across a broad spectrum. “We have to think internally, of our own actions. By moving closer to our customers, we have been able to reduce our travel-sourced CO2 emissions. It was one of the reasons for opening our office in Turkey which resulted in a reduction of xx flights and, in turn, xxx tons of CO2. Or maybe we can improve our in-house training programme: if our people have more skills, maybe they don’t have to travel as much between jobs.”

“And we also have to think externally,” Rob continues. “In our supply chain, for example. We need to work with our suppliers – our rubber and steel suppliers – to find ways for them to reduce their CO2 emissions. And in choosing which airline to fly with: once more sustainable aeroplane fuels are introduced, we will use only those flights.”

To meet the challenge of CO2 reduction, AEGIR-Marine will be creating a dedicated ‘green team’. “This will be a group of colleagues who want to spend more time on sustainable subjects in any possible way – and have fun doing it. We know that we cannot focus on every aspect of the business, so we have to start by focusing on the points where we think we have the best chance of success. One thing’s for sure: if we don’t make a start, things are never going to change.”

AEGIR-Marine’s sustainability plans tackle the subject in the broadest possible sense. From small scale actions like planting trees around the Dutch office to ‘bigger picture’ coordination with its entire supply chain. “This is how we are working with our twelve offices worldwide, and by developing sustainable initiatives abroad we are thinking globally and acting locally,” Rob concludes.