Sustainable Shipping

USG’s shipping subsidiary Gypsum Transportation Limited has continuously set the standard for environmentally friendly marine transportation.  Each vessel is equipped with innovative technology designed to minimize the ship’s effects on the environment and prevent pollution. The A. V. Kastner, built in 1987, the Gypsum Centennial, built in 2001, and the Gypsum Integrity, built in 2009, were all engineered to meet or exceed the strictest U. S. requirements at the time of launch.  

All of our ships meet or exceed the environmental requirements of the International Marine Organization and ports that we trade in.  And our ship operations are certified not only to the mandatory ISM (International Safety Management System), but also to ISO 9001:2000 and the internationally recognized environmental standard ISO 14001:2004.  

Additionally, we are proud to have taken the following measures above and beyond these standards to ensure environmental responsibility at sea:

  • USG was the first to use completely double hulled ships which protect the environment from fuel leaks by containing leaks within the void space between the water and the fuel oil tanks. The decision to use completely double hulled ships preceded official “protected fuel tank” legislation by almost eight years.  
  • Recognizing ballast water management is one of the most sensitive marine transportation public issues today, the Centennial and Integrity were designed with large ballast water transfer system capabilities. This allows the ships to conduct ballast exchange at safe distances from coastlines, thereby avoiding the transfer of invasive species from one area to another. We have diligently managed ballast water voluntarily for many years well before mandatory regulations were enforced.
  • We do not use refrigerants known to significantly contribute to ozone depletion or global warming for our refrigeration and HVAC units, and back this up with gas leakage detection systems and gas recovery systems nearly eliminating the potential for impact on the environment.
  • We were the first in the world to install an electronically controlled slow speed main engine to reduce nitrous oxides and other engine combustion pollutants on our Gypsum Centennial and Integrity ships.  This technology results in a “smokeless” engine at all times, confirmed by the voluntary outfitting of uptake monitoring systems.
  • The Gypsum Centennial and Integrity ships process sewage and gray water in a fully compliant on board sewage treatment plant so that only clean water is transferred overboard.
  • Our vessel hulls are coated with high quality tin-free anti-fouling paint to reduce the “drag” on the vessel as it proceeds through the water more than ten years prior to the IMO requirement for the same.  Anti-fouling directly reduces fuel oil consumption and subsequent emissions.
  • We reduce cargo discharge dust through the use of an enclosed system design and wetting agents.

Lloyds Registry recognized USG’s commitment to operating an environmentally sound marine transportation business by designating the Gypsum Integrity with their Environment Protection (EP) notation, as well as their Green Passport notation for the vessels “cradle to grave” pollution abatement commitments.