The concept of sustainable development and safety in maritime transport

The chapter presents opportunities of implementing the concept of sustainable development in sea transportation. The most important areas in which the concept is introduced are discussed. This revolves around the three important pillars of sustainable development: economic, social and environmental. Economic pillar is especially important in view of shipping’s role in the movement of about 90% of trade in goods, energy and raw materials. Social sustainability is based on improvement of maritime safety by development of safety regulations. Because operations at sea involve a high degree of physical risk, the shipping industry is committed to the continuous improvement of its environmental performance. The development and implementation of global standards for sustainable shipping cover safety, environmental protection, security and facilitation. The chapter also presents key advantages of implementing the concept of sustainable development in sea transportation.