The shipping industry is no stranger to transformation. From containerisation to digitalisation, each wave of change has left its mark on global trade. Today, the tide of sustainability continues to rise. With mounting regulatory pressure, growing customer expectations, and climate realities that can no longer be ignored, the industry is rethinking how it powers vessels, manages resources, and defines responsibility.

For RMS, a leading provider of maritime supply, services and logistics solutions, sustainability has become more than a compliance exercise. It has been woven into the company’s identity. By putting ESG principles at the core of its strategy, RMS believes that that shipping can be both profitable and sustainable, and that one does not have to come at the expense of the other.

A framework for the future

The company’s approach rests on a simple premise: ESG is not a regulatory box-ticking exercise, but a blueprint for resilience. By aligning itself with international standards such as the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), RMS has committed to transparency, accountability, and a long-term vision that mirrors China’s “Dual Carbon” goals.

It’s a framework that translates visions into practical actions. From clean energy initiatives to product innovation, it has developed a wide-ranging program designed to shrink its environmental footprint while strengthening the communities it touches. This includes measuring, optimizing and improving our end-to-end value chain, bringing in automation and product development with ESG as the business core strategy.

Harnessing the sun, cutting carbon

Perhaps the most striking example of this commitment is the company’s investment in solar power. A photovoltaic system, now in development, is expected to generate around 650,000 kWh of electricity every year. For a company operating in one of the world’s most energy-intensive industries, this is a clear signal of intent: fossil-fuel dependence is no longer the only way forward.

The move is part of a broader effort to reduce emissions. RMS has already introduced electric-powered equipment to cut greenhouse gases and has set itself a target of comprehensive Scope 1 and Scope 2 reporting by 2026. Alongside this, resource efficiency measures - from battery recycling stations and biodegradable packaging to water-saving appliances - demonstrate how even small operational choices add up to meaningful environmental gains. These initiatives mark just the beginning, as RMS continues to develop solutions together with the industry towards a greener and more sustainable future.

The social dimension

For RMS, sustainability is not confined to the environment. Believing in human capital, RMS actively supports education for underprivileged children, funds school infrastructure and provide scholarships in rural areas. Its support extends to healthcare facilities and disaster relief efforts, with targeted donations (for example, during the COVID-19 pandemic) underlining a commitment to social responsibility at moments of greatest need.

Sustainability as a partnership

What makes RMS’s strategy distinctive is its focus on collaboration and innovation. Recognising that no company can drive maritime sustainability alone, it has developed services and products together with our customers to reduce the end-to-end environmental impact. These collaborations range from biodegradable refuse sacks and phosphate-free cleaning products to ESG consulting services that guide clients through the increasingly complex web of international regulations.

With the support of the Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA Singapore), RMS is also in close collaboration with like-minded partners such as Yinson Group and Toll Group to set up the first green lighterage terminal in Singapore, supplying our customers using electric supply boats. This joint effort not only provides a practical and impactful decarbonization effect, but also help us digitalize our supply chain so as to identify areas of efficiency improvements.

This’s an approach that reframes sustainability not as a solitary effort, but as a shared journey, one where the government regulators, suppliers, shipowners, and even terminal operators move forward together as an ecosystem. It is also a fine example of how shipping can be both profitable and sustainable, without having to come at the expense of the other!  

Innovation at sea

Innovation is often the bridge between aspiration and action. RMS has leaned heavily into this principle, introducing a line of eco-friendly solutions tailored to maritime realities. Biodegradable utensils, cups, and plates are designed to reduce plastic waste onboard.

Flame-retardant waste bins provide safer and more efficient recycling options. Phosphate-free detergents minimise chemical discharge into the ocean. These may seem like modest products, but in the confined, resource-sensitive environment of a ship, they can make a world of difference.

Looking ahead

As the maritime industry faces intensifying scrutiny and regulation, RMS has set its course. Its vision is to expand ESG initiatives, deepen investment in clean energy, and strengthen partnerships across the industry. The company’s message is simple but ambitious: a greener, safer, and more sustainable shipping sector is possible, but only if everyone pulls in the same direction.

In an industry that has long been defined by tradition and scale, RMS’s story is one of adaptation and collaboration. Sustainability is not to be treated as an obligation or a cost, but as an opportunity to innovate, collaborate, and improve.