Disposal

Hamburg Süd does more than others

A merchant ship is living space for more than 20 people for several weeks on end. Naturally, waste accumulates where they live and work. This waste used to be simply discharged into the sea – no big problem with mostly organic waste. “Modern” waste, however, is a problem, not least because of its high synthetics content. There are now giant swirls of rubbish several hundred kilometres in diameter revolving slowly in the world’s oceans, especially the Pacific. They pose a threat to marine fauna. Every year innumerable plastic particles bring agonising death to millions of fish, birds and marine mammals. But none of Hamburg Süd’s ships discharges waste in this way, because our ships are fitted with presses, which compact the waste so that it can be disposed of in a compressed form in the next port of call.