One year after its first Bronze Medal, Marfret has been awarded the EcoVadis Silver Medal with a score of 78/100, up 12 points. The medal is awarded to the top 15% of rated companies; with its score, Marfret ranks among the top 9%.
For many shippers, EcoVadis has become a benchmark for assessing their suppliers. This international platform evaluates companies’ corporate social responsibility policies across four themes: environment, labour and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement. It examines the policies in place, the actions taken, the targets set and the monitoring indicators, based on documented evidence. The medal is therefore an independent and demanding recognition.
Progress across three pillars
This improvement is driven first and foremost by the environment and social pillars, which rose from 72 to 82/100 and from 72 to 80/100 respectively. Sustainable procurement also progressed, reaching 79/100. In all three areas, EcoVadis commends policies rated as outstanding, backed by quantified targets.
“These twelve points reward a collective effort to formalise our practices and bring them into line with one another. Many of these practices already existed; the challenge was to structure them better, set a shared direction and demonstrate how they are implemented” says Céline Douvenou, CSR Manager at Marfret.
A CSR approach that takes shape at sea
The EcoVadis medal recognises the structure of Marfret’s CSR approach. This approach is built on concrete actions, particularly on board our vessels, where most of our environmental impact lies. Here are some of the levers deployed at sea:
First lever: more efficient navigation. Even a moderate reduction in speed significantly lowers fuel consumption. Our vessels therefore favour eco-speed: rather than heading to port as fast as possible only to wait at anchor, they adjust their pace to arrive just as their berth becomes available, following routes chosen according to the weather.
Second lever: the wind. On the French Guiana–West Indies route, when the trade winds blow, the Marfret Niolon puts its sails to work: four rigid sails, housed in containers, then assist propulsion and ease fuel consumption.
Third lever: more efficient vessels. Without waiting for a technological revolution, Marfret is renewing its fleet with vessels designed to consume less today. Delivered in 2025, the Durande was designed to limit its fuel consumption, and therefore its CO₂ emissions. It is also fitted with a nitrogen oxide treatment system, which reduces its emissions of air pollutants.
Fourth lever: protecting the marine environment. Our vessels Saumaty and Ferrymar are equipped with the REPCET system, which enables our crews to report the presence of whales and other large cetaceans in real time and alert other vessels in the area, reducing the risk of collision.
Looking ahead to 2027
Valid until August 2027, the medal will be put to the test again at the next assessment. In the meantime, Marfret continues to implement its “Path to 2030” roadmap, which sets the course for its environmental and social approach in the years ahead. Fleet renewal is one of its key pillars, as illustrated by the order for two new container ships presented in this newsletter.