Environmental issues pose one of the greatest challenges to the fisheries sector. The pollution of the sea is a direct threat to the results of the fisheries sector in Iceland. Brim will seek any means to reduce pollution from its own operations and continue to develop its operation toward sustainable fishing and processing.

In 2015 Brim initiated an extensive environmental project under the title “Cleaner Value Chain in Fisheries”. Under that plan, Brim has worked systematically to record the company's environmental impact throughout the value chain from fishing to markets. On this basis, work is underway to develop new technologies and methods for managing the ecological footprint of Brim’s products from fishing to market delivery.

All environmental information relating to the operation of the company is digitally streamed from its place of origin into an environmental database. Whether the activity is at sea or on land. The database makes the information accessible to the company’s employees for the purpose of using the information systematically for actions that have the purpose of reducing the environmental impact. Part of the software ensures that Brim can fulfill environmental legislation as current and can also provide the authorities with access for digital monitoring. Although the software was brought into use in June 2016, it will continue to be developed, and its implementation within the company is presently in full swing.

The project includes the following main aspects:

• Ensuring knowledge development of all the aspects of environmental impact from the operation of the company throughout the value chain, from fishing to the market.
• Systematically reducing the negative environmental impact of the company’s operations.
• Reducing the formation of waste and ensuring better sorting of waste.
• Ensuring quantification and goal setting in environmental matters.
• Improving operations and responsibility with respect to the environment.
• Supporting Iceland’s national goals as regards climate issues.

This involves the use of technological knowledge to develop at Brim new and improved processes that will revolutionize the ability of the company to manage its operations in tune with goals in the field of environmental and energy management.

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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF VESSELS ON CATCHES

The greatest environmental impact of the operation of Brim is due to the fuel use of the fleet. In recent years, the company has systematically worked on analysing carbon footprints from fishing to processing, together with increased use of environmentally friendly ships’ fuels. It should be noted that a number of variables can affect the calculation of fuel use, such as the composition of catches, catches and fishing patterns of individual vessels, as well as the weather. It is important to take these factors into account when concluding results based on figures published here and comparisons between years.

The total use of the fleet during the year was almost 22.5 million litres, which emitted 60 thousand tonnes of CO2 equivalents, catching 128 thousand tonnes. This is approximately 82% of the total emissions of the company, which is 78 thousand tonnes. All Brim vessels now use MGO or DMA fuels which have a sulphur content of 0.1%.

• The share of the wetfish trawlers of CO2 equivalents emitted is 16 thousand tonnes, or approximately one-fourth. When the energy intensity of fishing is measured, i.e. how many litres of fuel are required to catch one tonne of fish, the wetfish trawlers are seen to use 281 litres. This is 801 kg of CO2 equivalents per tonne.
• The share of the freezer trawler in carbon emissions during the year was more than 27 thousand tonnes of CO2 equivalents. Energy intensity for fishing on freezer trawlers is somewhat greater, or 350 litres for each tonne. This is 996 kg of CO2 equivalents per tonne.
• The carbon emissions of pelagic vessels during the year was over 21 thousand tonnes of CO2 equivalents. The energy intensity of fishing was 89 liters of oil per tonne, or 255 kg of CO2 equivalents.

Numerous variables can affect the fuel use of vessels, most notably

• State of fish stocks.
• Composition of catch.
• Fishing patterns and distances.
• Weather.

It is important to take these factors into account when concluding results based on figures published here and comparisons between years. When comparing fuel use between years, it should be mentioned that blue whiting fishing was harder in 2020 than the previous year because of difficult weather in the first three months of the year. We also had to go further for mackerel. Catch for wetfish trawlers was reduced from the previous year due to weather. They were not fully utilized last summer due to the renovations of the processing plant at Norðurgarður, but catches are usually very good in the summer.

PROMOTE INCREASED USE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY

Icelandic fish meal and oil processing manufacturers have, over past decades, used both fossil fuels and electricity in their operation. In recent years, fishmeal producers have purchased controllable transmission and distribution of electricity. Due to the limited security of transmission and distribution in the electrical system, insecure availability of electricity and fluctuating demands from fish meal processors, fossil fuels have been a necessary back-up source of power in the operation and have replaced electricity when needed. To achieve full electrification, however, significant investments will have to be made in the electricity transmission system in Iceland.

Félag íslenskra fiskimjölsframleiðanda (FÍF) has signed a declaration of intent and entered into an agreement with Landsnet, Rarik and HS Veitur on one hand, and Landsvirkjun on the other, with the goal of promoting increased use of electricity in processing. Thereby reducing the use of energy sources that emit greater carbon footprints and at the same time, increase the likelihood that the goals of the Paris Convention and the action plans of the Icelandic government as regards climate goals will be achieved.

Landsvirkjun's and FÍF's first declaration of intent to promote the continued use of renewable energy in the fishmeal industry was valid from March 2017 to the end of year 2019. During these three years (2017-2019), 584,125 MWh of electricity was used, thus saving the combustion of 56.5 million liters of oil. This reduced the carbon emissions of the fishmeal factories by 168 thousand tonnes of CO2 equivalents. Brim’s share of the total fuel use was 108,991 MWh or 18.66%, which saved the combustion of 10.5 million liters of oil. As a result, the company's carbon emissions decreased by 31 thousand tonnes of CO2 equivalents during the period.

It was decided by signature on June 22, 2020 to extend the previous declaration, as the parties agree to continue working towards the goals described in the previous declaration by Landsvirkjun contributing as much as possible to an increased supply of controllable energy, and to that aim, Landsvirkjun has submitted an application for an exemption to the Competition Authority. FÍF will also continue to encourage members to use renewable energy sources in their operations.

A declaration of intent between FÍF and Landsnet, Rarik, HS Veitur, on electricity transmission and distribution, where the parties will work together toward improvements in climate issues with more efficient use of investments and infrastructure in mind, was signed in 2018 and is still valid.

NEW QUAY AT NORÐURGARÐUR WITH ELECTRICITY AND HEATING UTILITIES CONNECTIONS TO VESSELS

To reduce the use of fossil fuels and promote the use of green energy sources, Brim renovated the quay at Norðurgarður in 2018. The quay is a steel quay 120 m long and 20 m wide with a concrete surface containing a snow-melting system that uses the runoff water from Brim’s fish processing plant.

This change greatly improves all port facilities for the company’s wetfish trawlers. The quay that preceded it was an old wooden pier that had seen better days. The new and larger quay ensures access to new and powerful land connections to electricity and hot water. Now all the wetfish trawlers of the company can connect to environmentally friendly energy when the vessels are in port at Norðurgarður.

The facilities at Ísbjörninn are connected to environmentally friendly power sources which the freezer trawlers use, but not to hot water. In Akranes, there is both electricity and hot water for vessel land connections. No land connection for electricity or hot water is available in Vopnafjörður, but there are opportunities to reduce fuel use with changes to the port in Vopnafjörður.

ELECTRONIC LOGBOOKS IN VESSELS

As of 2015, Brim, in co-operation with Klappir, the Icelandic Coast Guard and the Environment Agency of Iceland, has participated in the development and adoption of electronic administration on board its vessels. To date, mandatory registrations on board vessels as regards environmental effects have always been on paper. These include registrations of waste disposal, fuel use and the use of ozone-depleting substances (ODS) in a paper logbook according to the MARPOL Convention of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). The goal was to turn these books into e-books and thereby take a large step forward in the field environmental management.

Brim can now take advantage of the data stored in the logbooks for environmental management and can gain an overall picture of all its vessels’ environmental aspects, as well as remotely monitor registrations. Regulators, e.g. the Icelandic Coast Guard and the Environment Agency of Iceland, can now undertake their statutory surveillance role electronically and thereby minimise the cost and effects that monitoring registrations has on the operation of vessels. Data from the logbooks is streamed to port authorities who are responsible for their statutory role of accepting delivery of waste.

At present, all Brim vessels have digital logs to register pollution factors according to MARPOL Annex I-VI. To ensure accurate registration of fuel purchases for the vessels, a digital order system is used that is connected to MARPOL Annex VI.

REFRIGERANTS

In accordance with SFS's environmental policy signed by Brim, Brim will replace refrigerants with refrigerants that do not cause a greenhouse effect at the first available opportunity. Emissions from refrigerants are 2,834 tCO2 equivalents in 2020. Brim's goal is to have completed the replacement of refrigerants for more environmentally friendly refrigerants by the end of 2025. When building and renovating ships, emphasis is placed on environmentally friendly refrigerants.

CARBON FOOTPRINT BY MAIN GROUNDFISH SPECIES

When looking at the carbon footprint of the transport of individual fish species, it becomes clear that the largest carbon footprint is due to the transport of cod, redfish and saithe from the company's processing plant to customers. Exports of these three species amounted to 19,970 tonnes or 88.5% of Brims' total groundfish exports in 2020.

If the carbon footprint of these species is calculated for each kg CO2 equivalents per tonnes of product, this reveals that cod accounts for an average of 339 kg, redfish for 244 kg and saithe for 199 kg.

The export of 22,565 tonnes of Brim groundfish products emits, on average, approximately 259 kg of CO2 equivalents per tonne of product.

THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF FROZEN AND FRESH GROUNDFISH PRODUCTS

CARBON FOOTPRINT BY MAIN PELAGIC SPECIES

When we look at the carbon footprint of the transport of individual fish species, the largest carbon footprint is due to the transport of mackerel, then herring and finally blue whiting. If the carbon footprint of the transport of these species is calculated for each kg CO2 equivalents per tonnes of product, it becomes clear that herring accounts for an average of 87 kg, mackerel for 80 kg and blue whiting for 40 kg.

The export of 25,727 tonnes of Brim’s pelagic products emits, on average, approximately 65 kg of CO2 equivalents per tonne of product.

GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS 2020 BREAKDOWN INTO SCOPE 1, 2 AND 3

COMPARISON BETWEEN YEARS

In the environmental statement below, there is a comparison between years of the main aspects of environmental issues at Brim. The comparison between years must be taken with the proviso that criteria have been added annually to obtain the best possible overview of the company's carbon settlement.

WASTE MANAGEMENT

PAPER HANDLING

CATCHES AND FUEL USE

BUSINESS TRAVEL

TRANSPORTATION OF PACKAGING

KEY NUMBERS