Swiss Marine Environment Protection Association
Protecting the seas. Leading from Switzerland.
SWISSMEPA is Switzerland's new voluntary association uniting the maritime community around environmental responsibility.
Why now
A new era of maritime accountability
Environmental performance is moving from voluntary reporting into regulation, procurement and the cost of capital.
Regulation is tightening
IMO 2023 sets net-zero around 2050. CII and EEXI already affect vessel ratings, EU ETS is phasing in for shipping (2024–2026), and FuelEU Maritime binds GHG-intensity cuts to 2050 — with financial penalties embedded in the EU framework.
Scope 3 enters trading
Transport emissions are entering corporate Scope 3 reporting. Buyers factor shipping emissions into procurement, traders face downstream disclosure requirements, and demand for verifiable emissions data keeps rising.
Capital follows climate risk
The Poseidon Principles link loans to decarbonisation, sustainability-linked loans use emissions KPIs, insurers price climate-transition risk, and third-party emissions verification is becoming standard.
The decade ahead
Challenges facing the marine environment
The questions the maritime community will be judged on are no longer only about what happened — they are about how the next ten years are handled.
Decarbonising a fleet that must keep trading
The next decade asks the industry to cut greenhouse-gas intensity while keeping global trade moving — new fuels, new machinery and new competences arriving faster than the standards that govern them.
Turning data into trust
Verified, comparable emissions data is becoming the currency of charterers, lenders and insurers. The challenge is measurement and assurance the whole value chain can rely on.
Protecting living ecosystems, not only carbon
Plastics, ballast-water species transfer, underwater noise and coastal pressure sit alongside climate on the agenda. Marine and freshwater ecosystems need attention that goes beyond a single metric.
The human element
Training, awareness and everyday seafarer practice remain decisive risk factors. Technology changes nothing without the people who operate it — ashore and at sea.
Who we are
A voluntary commitment, organised in Switzerland
SWISSMEPA is a Swiss-based, non-profit association (Verein) representing the maritime community's voluntary commitment to environmental responsibility.
Shipping and operations
- Shipowners and operators
- Ship management companies
- Maritime professionals and seafarers
Trade, finance and services
- Commodity and trading companies
- Financial institutions active in shipping
- Ports, terminals and maritime service providers
Our commitments
- 1Promoting responsible and sustainable shipping
- 2Strengthening environmental and operational performance
- 3Supporting ESG alignment across the maritime sector
- 4Providing a neutral platform for collaboration between industry, finance, academia and civil society
Switzerland's role
A maritime nation with global responsibility
Switzerland is one of the world's leading ship-owning and commodity trading nations. Geneva, Zug and Lugano are global centres for shipping finance, trading and ship management.
This concentration of maritime expertise gives Switzerland both a responsibility and an opportunity to shape environmental standards for the industry — and to anchor a new generation of voluntary environmental commitment in the heart of Europe.
By the numbers
- #9
- Ship-owning nation globally
- ~60
- Swiss-based shipping companies
- ~900
- Vessels operated globally
- ~40% / ~60%
- Of global oil and metals trade
Our mission
Four areas of focus
Environmental Protection
Education and Awareness
Industry Dialogue and Coordination
Swiss Leadership & Representation
"To build a maritime movement in Switzerland that advances environmental responsibility at sea and inspires pride in protecting our shared marine and freshwater ecosystems."
The crest
The logo is inspired by Helvetia, Switzerland's national figure, standing atop the waves. She symbolises responsibility, protection and continuity. Positioned above the sea and bearing the Swiss shield, she represents Switzerland's commitment to safeguarding the marine environment and its seafarers.
Part of a global network
Built on the experience of the MEPA movement
SWISSMEPA builds on the experience of established Marine Environment Protection Associations (MEPAs) worldwide, coordinated under INTERMEPA — formally established in 2006, growing out of HELMEPA, founded in Greece in 1982 by shipowners and seafarers.
- Decades of voluntary environmental action
- Thousands of students reached through educational programmes
- A shared network of expertise across maritime nations
Why join
Value for the shipping community
Environmental compliance and ESG scrutiny are intensifying, while human-element training and awareness remain critical risk factors.
Strengthen ESG performance
- Tools for reporting, benchmarking and compliance
- Support for Poseidon Principles and the Sea Cargo Charter
- Guidance on CII and EEXI
Improve safety & environmental performance
- Training programmes
- Best-practice sharing
- Technical guidance
Enhance reputation & stakeholder trust
- Membership signals commitment
- Participation in global initiatives
Access a neutral collaboration platform
- Dialogue with regulators, NGOs and academic institutions
- Competitive innovation across the sector
Founding partners
Founding members
SWISSMEPA was founded by leading members of Switzerland's maritime and trading community, committed to establishing Switzerland's leading maritime environmental initiative.
Contact
Get in touch
For membership, partnership or general enquiries about SWISSMEPA.
SWISSMEPA Secretariat
secretariat@swissmepa.ch