MEDITERRANEAN Shipping Company (MSC) and Italian energy Eni have signed a memorandum of understanding in order to pursue initiatives in the fields of sustainability and energy transition.
The two parties are intending to expand their existing business relationship to a broader geographic context, as well as to areas relating to sustainability and decarbonization.
The agreement includes the potential use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and lower-carbon energy carriers, such as HVO and bio-LNG biofuels, as well as lubricants from renewable raw materials, for use on MSC fleets dedicated to both logistics and cruise transport.
Generally, the agreement aims to create synergies between the two companies’ operations, from logistics services to intermodal transport, covering both the production of raw materials and the storage and transport of HVO biofuels through intermodal sea, rail, and road transport solutions.
Other areas of focus in the MoU will include support for decommissioning of national and international offshore platforms, and joint research and development initiatives in the Open-es framework, the platform and system alliance launched by Eni for value-chain sustainability.
The two parties say the agreement provides for good circular economy practices, from the on-board use of plastics from renewable and recycled raw materials, to the collection and management of waste produced onboard the fleets, and the potential redevelopment of decommissioned Eni assets.
MSC group president Diego Aponte commented on the new MoU, saying “At MSC we are focused on achieving a successful energy transition and to do this we need the partners we can trust and rely on”.
“Eni has been one of these partners for many years and this MoU is a welcome and natural evolution of our relationship.
“We look forward to working more closely with Eni as we broaden and deepen our approach to sustainability and decarbonization across the MSC Group of companies.”
Claudio Descalzi, CEO of Eni, said there are many parts of the economic and industrial systems that require action to reduce emissions.
“The only way to succeed is by uniting the skills, resources and technologies across a range of stakeholders, for a widespread intervention in each of these key areas,” Mr Descalzi said.
“This agreement marks the start of our collaboration with MSC in the decarbonisation of transport and cruise services.
“MSC is the world leader in the sector and we are confident that together we will be able to develop and implement decarbonisation initiatives, that provide an important contribution to the sector and to the reduction of emissions from our transport systems.”
