Vinicius Patel appointed chair of ESI board
Vinicius Patel, director of port administration at Porto do Açu in Brazil, has been appointed chair of the board of the Environmental Ship Index (ESI). He succeeds Eric van der Schans from the port of Rotterdam, who held the position since 2020. Patel is also IAPH vice-president for Central and South America.
The ESI, developed by major ports in cooperation with the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH), is a globally recognised standard for incentivising cleaner shipping and was officially integrated into IAPH’s governance in 2020. Recognised by the IMO, it provides a basis for ports to offer benefits to low- and zero-carbon ships.
Patel takes on the role at a key time, with the ESI preparing to introduce new performance modules in 2026 to help ports and shipowners lower emissions and accelerate maritime decarbonisation. (ah)