Energy giant Eni chief executive Claudio Descalzi and MSC Group president Diego Aponte have signed a groundbreaking memorandum of understanding to develop joint initiatives in the field of sustainability and energy transition.
Eni together with transport and cruise services expert MSC intend to extend the scope of their business relationship to areas relating to sustainability and decarbonization of their operations.
The agreement includes the potential use of LNG as well as lower-carbon energy carriers, such as HVO and bio-LNG biofuels, as well as lubricants from renewable raw materials, for use on MSC fleets dedicated to both logistics and cruise transport.
Renewable energy solutions will be assessed to contribute to the decarbonization of MSC’s sites and facilities.
More generally, the agreement aims to create new synergies between the two companies’ operations, from logistics services to intermodal transport, covering both agro-industrial activities for the production of raw materials, including Agri feedstock, for biorefining, and the storage and transport of HVO biofuels through innovative intermodal sea, rail and road transport solutions.
Other evaluation areas concern the support for decommissioning of national and international offshore platforms, joint research and development initiatives and collaborations in the Open-es framework, the platform and system alliance launched by Eni for value-chain sustainability.
The agreement provides for good circular economy practices, from the on-board use of plastics also from renewable and recycled raw materials, including single-use packaging products, to the collection and management of waste produced on board the fleets, and the potential redevelopment of decommissioned Eni areas and assets.
“There are many parts of our economic and industrial systems where we must act to reduce emissions,” said Claudio Descalzi, CEO of Eni. “The only way to succeed is by uniting the skills, resources and technologies across a range of stakeholders, for a widespread intervention in each of these key areas”.
MSC Group president, Diego Aponte, noted: “At MSC we are focused on achieving a successful energy transition and to do this we need the partners we can trust and rely on. Eni has been one of these partners for many years and this MoU is a welcome and natural evolution of our relationship”.
