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Celebrating 20 Years of Marine Services

November 29, 2024

With 20 years’ experience, SGS is the global leader in maritime environmental services, supporting shipowners, port operators and coastal managers in more than 600 ports worldwide.

We are delighted to celebrate the 20-year anniversary of marine environmental services at SGS and our global leadership in the field.

Twenty years ago, Dr. Vladimiro Bonamin and Mr. Robert Goldring, United States Coast Guard (USCG), retired, introduced marine environmental services to SGS as they worked within the cruise ship industry.

Robert serviced cruise ships in the area around New York City, USA, sampling and analyzing ship discharges that would eventually be regulated under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Vessel General Permit (VGP) 2013.

When the U.S. EPA ballast water regulations were put in place, Vladimiro invented SGS's first ballast water sampling device and had it produced in Italy. Vladimiro supported by a team of experts, then trained inspectors in our worldwide network of laboratories to perform ballast water sampling services.

Looking back on this journey, Vladimiro notes: "It has been very rewarding to see SGS grow and become a market leader in this space, and it demonstrates our commitment to innovation, continuous learning, steadfast customer service and ongoing engagement with regulatory communities."

Today, we conduct testing in over 600 ports globally, helping shipowners, port operators, and coastal managers comply with all manner of regulations — from those of the U.S. EPA to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to national and regional regulations — and meet their internal sustainability and environmental social and governance (ESG) goals.

Our environmental and consulting services help clients to:   

  • Comply with shipboard and environmental regulations on the discharge of air, water and sludges
  • Decarbonize ships and ports
  • Improve seafarer well-being
  • Preserve coastal environments and aquaculture zones by monitoring for a range of water- and airborne pollutants

Learn more about our marine environmental services.

For further information, please contact:

Lisa Drake
Americas Manager, Marine Field Services and Monitoring 
tel: +1 (305) 6198191

About SGS

SGS is the world’s leading Testing, Inspection and Certification company. We operate a network of over 2,700 laboratories and business facilities across 119 countries, supported by a team of 99,250 dedicated professionals. With over 145 years of service excellence, we combine the precision and accuracy that define Swiss companies to help organizations achieve the highest standards of quality, safety and compliance.

Our brand promise – when you need to be sure – underscores our commitment to trust, integrity and sustainability, enabling businesses to thrive with confidence. We proudly deliver our expert services through the SGS name and trusted specialized brands, including Brightsight, Bluesign, Maine Pointe and Nutrasource.

SGS is publicly traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange under the ticker symbol SGSN (ISIN CH0002497458, Reuters SGSN.S, Bloomberg SGSN:SW).

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