Social commitment, sustainability and – shipping. Interview with Ulrike Zirwen.

Written by Gesine Stück  |  Wednesday, 11 May 2011  | 

Hanseatic Lloyd was one of the first NMU Stakeholders supporting the vision of the Northern Maritime University Network. This is because of the company’s interest in the continuous improvement of education in maritime business in an international context. Therefore, the company voluntarily took part in the second test run of the NMU module “Maritime Transport & the Environment”, developed by the following NMU partners: Swedish Environmental Institute, Bremen University of Applied Sciences and Lübeck University of Applied Sciences.
The Hanseatic Lloyd Group is a group of companies with worldwide operations whose management has many years of experience in international shipping as well as in the development and financing of ships. The Group’s management is a team of shipping and financial experts with vast experience in the tramp and liner shipping industries as well as financial markets.

NMU project member Susanne Neumann spoke with Ulrike Zirwen, Head of Marketing Department, Hanseatic Lloyd, about social commitment, sustainability and – shipping.


Susanne Neumann (SN): Hello Mrs. Zirwen. Thank you very much for taking part with your company’s apprentices and your colleague in our course “Maritime Transport & the Environment” and providing us with your professional feedback.
Hanseatic Lloyd engages itself in a wide range of social ac¬tivities; even environmental protection stays on top of the agenda and the idea of lifelong learning is practically imple¬mented in your firm. Sustainable development is part of your corporate philosophy. At the moment, is your company run¬ning or planning any concrete projects in these areas?

Ulrike Zirwen (UZ): We are convinced that long-term economic success can only be achieved and can only be assured if ecological and social aspects are equally considered in the business strategy. As a globally trading group of companies, we are aware of our responsibility towards humankind and the environment and therefore, it belongs to the manifested basic principles of Hanseatic Lloyd’s values and corporate policy.
We administer our social responsibility to people with personal and financial commitment and we render contributions as well to sustainable development. Besides maritime institutions such as the ”Haus Seefahrt”, the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service (DGzRS) and the Seaman’s Mission, we support mother-and-child houses in Bremen and in Weinfelden (Switzerland).
Furthermore, we support the international children´s relief organisation, the World CHILDHOOD Foundation, in order to embrace the weakest members of society: single mothers and children in need. Donations totalling almost a million Euros have come together in the course of the Hanseatic Lloyd Dragon Grand Prix in the years 2005 to 2009 through this benefit regatta initiated by our deceased founder, Mr. Harro Kniffka, for the benefit of the World CHILDHOOD Foundation. Hanseatic Lloyd expresses a heartfelt gratitude to all the participants who made the initiative a success.

SN: In your opinion, why should sustainability play a significant role to a maritime company?
UZ: Let us imagine this from the point of view of shipping. Ships connect people and markets. Without the seaway, the worldwide and cross-border transport of goods would not have been possible. Over 90% of world trade is transported by sea, which makes shipping the backbone of globalisation. Fundamentals to shipping and world trade are the oceans and the seas on which we operate – which is also the biggest ecosystem on earth. Over 70% of earth’s surface is covered by oceans. The seas and coastal regions have significant meaning for an intact environment and possess a meaningful potential for economic growth. According to the United Nations, 39% of the world population lives in coastal areas and this is supposed to be more than 50% in a few years. The shipping industry is aware of its tremendous global responsibility that results in this situation.
The idea that global efforts are required to protect the natural environment is meanwhile generally accepted. Shipping as a part of, and an essential link in, the global economy already has comparatively positive environmental balance as compared with other traffic carriers simply by virtue of its so-called economies of scale. However, ongoing technical advances offer sufficient starting points to make shipping even more environmentally friendly. To a growing extent, the shippers are endeavouring to reduce the “ecological footprint” of their global transport chains. A number of initiatives has therefore been started all over the world to promote the dialogue between shippers and shipping companies on topics affecting the environment and to provide common starting points for reducing shipping-related environmental burdens yet further. There are still possibilities for improvement in many areas and there remain countless themes for which shipping companies are offensively concerned. However, the perception of shipping companies in the public needs to be improved, in particular their efforts in the matter of environmental protection.
For a long time, garbage on board is collected separately and disposed of professionally in ports. Ships are the most environmentally friendly modes of transport, without which a sustainable development of world trade would not be possible. This should be made transparent and public. We have to make the same efforts in public relations work as we do in the field of technologies.

SN: To what extent do you see the learning opportunity and exchange of ideas/knowledge of the Northern Maritime University Network providing adequate support possibilities to your corporate philosophy?
UZ: Hanseatic Lloyd offers its onboard and shore-based employees attractive employment conditions, embedded in a corporate culture that is embossed with trust, mutual respect, motivation, and competence orientation. The dialogue between the employees onboard and ashore is of high significant value to us. Among others, regular joint workshops for personnel and company management are organised. Basic and advanced training measures are regarded by Hanseatic Lloyd as an investment in the future and are also continued during times in which economic parameter conditions are not particularly positive.
The Northern Maritime University Network explains that “thinking, working and trading globally, but learning locally” is in itself a paradox if we consider the internationality, intercultural nature and diverse technical requirements of the sea transport economy. We see this in the same way and so we engage ourselves as stakeholders in this project, where universities and maritime institutions from five countries in the North Sea Region cooperate and share their joint competences in the maritime economy. Knowledge exchange and enhancement across industrial, educational and research institutions can be accelerated in this way.

SN: A number of your management trainees participated in the course module ”Maritime Transport & the Environment“. Were your expectations from this module satisfied and where do you see room for improvement?
UZ: The course programs of NMU are not only intended for students but they can also be successfully integrated in continuous education within the framework of lifelong learning. The course module imparts knowledge about the diverse environmental aspects in which the shipping industry plays a very important role.
For instance, an overview of complex regulations and of various technical as well as methodical approaches to minimise the negative effects of shipping to the environment was discussed. Along with actual developments, future methods to make ship operations as environmentally friendly as possible were picked as the central theme. As a result of this, we have critically discussed the possible effects of all these things to economic efficiency and to ship crew.
The modular structure of the course programme offers flexibility in the framework of general qualifications and therefore makes a significant contribution to the promotion of lifelong learning. Our expectations were more than satisfied.

SN: Thank you very much for your time and your engaged cooperation, Mrs. Zirwen.