Freight Transport

Maersk Container Industry calls for tougher enforcement of European environmental legislation designed to protect the Earth's ozone layer and help prevent climate change.

"We urge the European Commission to ensure enforcement of existing EU legislation regarding insulation foam in reefer containers," says Peter K. Nymand, CEO for Maersk Container Industry. 

"This would benefit the environment, and it would help European innovation and environmental investments pay off," Nymand adds. 

Current EU legislation bans the "import" or "placing on the market" of reefer containers with significant potential to damage the climate and ozone layer. But thousands of such containers nevertheless circulate in Europe's internal market on virtually the same market conditions as more environmentally friendly reefers. 

Supotec, which was developed and patented by Maersk Container Industry in 2002, does not damage the Earth's ozone layer, nor does it cause significant climate change. As a result, customers and the World Wildlife Foundation WWF laud Supotec for being an environmental step forward. 

"This is environmental precaution. It is positive when enterprises, in this case Maersk Container Industry, move ahead of the legislation by developing products and production methods, which in turn make it possible for legislators to demand more from the rest of the industry," says John Nordbo, head of the Conservation Department at WWF, Denmark.