In recent years, the increasing demands for environmental conservation have been felt by all industries, and the maritime industry is no exception.

With awareness to Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR) growing larger, more measures are being taken to prevent air and marine pollution, global warming, and the destruction of ecosystems, according not only to the minimum requirements based on international conventions and standards, but also to more advanced technology or to more strict criteria.

As a means of evaluating these efforts, ClassNK has developed criteria for evaluating ships that have introduced measures for environment in areas where requirements based on international conventions or standards do not yet exist or have not yet been made mandatory. In conjunction with this, ClassNK began issuing certificates for environment in June 2008.

In order to make the above evaluation process easier to understand, the relevant requirements have been amended so that evaluations of environmental measures are indicated as notation affixed to ship classification characters. In addition, the evaluation criteria have been revised and are published as "Environmental Guideline".

This guideline prescribes minimum requirements for environmental measures which are considered to be desirable with respect to current conditions. Compliance with these minimum requirements is indicated by affixing the notation "Environmental Awareness" to ship classification characters. To evaluate the advanced characteristics of those ships taking further environmental measures, various sorts of additional features are also prescribed and indicated as marks added to the notation.

To affix the notation "Environmental Awareness", it is necessary to carry out an initial audit as required in "Environmental Guideline". Please indicate the notation "Environmental Awareness" with applicable additional marks on an application for classification or survey and submit the application to the resp