Kenneth Hardam, Port Service Manager Denmark
Stena Line Denmark A/S

LEADING THE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR THE MARITIME COMMUNITY IN FREDERIKSHAVN

According to a survey conducted by Miljø- og Fødevareministeriet og Miljøstyrelsen in 2018, more than 227,000 tonnes of edible food is thrown out in the food sector every year in Denmark. This is very costly and emits a lot of CO2. The food waste is spread out over various industries, including retail trade, hotels, restaurants, institutions and large kitchens. Stena Line and our ferries were not excluded.

As part of our Sustainability focus area ‘Responsible Consumption’, Stena Line has a strategy to move towards a more sustainable management of food and food waste onboard our ferries. In 2018, we started a project on Stena Saga (the Frederikshavn – Oslo ferry route) with the aim to: reduce food waste, be more environmentally conscious and, in the end, certify Stena Saga regarding food waste management.

I am proud to say that we have met our goals in less than a year! We have succeeded in reducing our food waste significantly. Weighing our waste so that the kitchen on board can optimise consumption and portions.  

A valuable investment with positive returns
So, how did we manage to do this so fast?

Firstly, two bins are placed on a scale before the employees throws away any food, she or he must enter what kind of waste it is into a connected tablet. This is not only a good guide for the kitchen in what to buy or not to buy, they also get data - including value of the waste in terms of levels of CO2 emitted and the total weight of the waste. Already in the first weeks of the project, the food waste decreased with more than 500 kg, which is equal to 2,1 tons of CO2.

- All employees have been very positive, and the consciousness has grown among us. Now you think
before you throw food in the bin, says Patrik Rothoff, Head Chef at Stena Saga, about the project.

 

Secondly, the food waste is transported ashore and turned in to biogas. This is a win-win-win project, where we become more sustainable from both an environmental and financial perspective, because both food waste and food cost are decreased. We even minimise heavy lifts onboard in the food handling, which is an improvement for the health and well-being for our employees onboard.

In short, only 9 months after the project started Stena Line has received the ReFood Certification[1] and the work now continues ashore, where the next mission is to combat the food waste from the terminal in Frederikshavn. This project is already well underway and is expected to also be certified, after the summer. 

A friendly invitation to our colleagues at the Port of Frederikshavn
We want to highlight this, because we at Stena Line believe that this is the way forward. Not only for our business, but for all companies at Port of Frederikshavn. Our sustainability strategy is based on the UN Development Goals and includes five areas relevant to our business, and where we can make a difference. By being a leader with regards to sustainability this also means that we want to inspire others, including the rest of the maritime community in Frederikshavn.

Essentially, it is by working together, we can create sustainable solutions for the future. A great example of this is how the Port of Frederikshavn is saving on disposing of food waste, because that food waste is now being recycled. It is a significant cost-reduction for us as well, since the port previously handled this kind of waste for us by sending it to the local incinerating plant. As a partner to the Port of Frederikshavn, we have a mutual interest in reducing costs, and we have succeeded in this. For all these reasons, and more, we urge our colleagues at the port to think about, how and where they can be great partners in creating a more sustainable future for the Port of Frederikshavn, for themselves and for us all.

[1] Source: https://www.refood.dk/dk/rfdk/koncept-service/refood-maerket-certificering-for-madspild/ (in Danish)

 

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This post is part of Port of Frederikshavn’s blog universe, which we have called THE PORT VOICE. The blog has been put into the world to give the word to businesses and business partners of the port. The purpose is to create a channel, where we can share knowledge, passion and demeanour in an inclusive, engaging and non-profit way. The goal is to have as many businesses, organisations and partners of the port as possible to contribute in order to obtain a platform, where we can learn more about each other, pass on learning, wisdom or demeanour and invite one another into the world, each one of us find ourselves in.