The steady increase of environmental awareness in our society is a huge step forward for the future of our planet, says waste management specialist Top Glory Marine as they celebrate 10 years in business this month.

Managing Director Silke Fehr believes, shipping will succeed in its ambitions to become a greener industry, and that waste management will be reinvented as new technologies and processes evolve to ensure the transition to sustainability.

Reflecting on the last 10 years in business and the subject of sustainability, Mrs. Fehr said: “ESG performance has become a huge topic during the past few years. With new regulations coming in that will mean writing ESG reports will become mandatory in the future, it is a field that will come much more into focus. Sustainability and also the sense of sustainability has changed a lot. When we started our business 10 years ago, there was not as much focus on sustainability as there is today. People want to become and also act greener and this is quite a great development.”

“Within the last 10 years, the damage caused to the environment has also become more visible, with many thought-provoking images in the public domain. We do not think about words so much but to see images of oil spills, or birds covered in oil, provokes a highly emotive response. Especially with the young generation who are moving things forward and making noise around climate change, there is a lot of attention being paid to this area now,” she added.

TGM began its journey in June 2013 with the aim of providing a sustainable and cost-efficient waste management while reducing the workload for shipowners, ship managers and the crew. With one single point of contact, TGM ensures companies’ waste management needs are managed with no additional workload to them.

Being the first company dedicated to this niche market offering waste disposal services worldwide through its network of around 200 verified disposal companies, TGM’s dedication to high environmental and quality standards has had a significant positive influence on its ecosystem and network.

TGM has achieved great success in its first decade in business, having grown every year along with its portfolio of clients. The team has grown to 17 specialists since its inception, with Mrs. Fehr at the helm.

Looking ahead to the future in the waste management sector, Mrs. Fehr believes the maritime industry should stay focused on digitalisation and new technologies. She explained: “The topic of digitalisation is a challenging one. We need to evolve processes, software and stay open-minded. There are regulations and developments in the maritime industry, for example the focus set on LNG engines and the ban of burning heavy oil. Technologies and processes change, and it can be a challenge if there is not enough flexibility to then rethink and find a solution to respond to the new circumstances and have a solution at hand.”