Inchcape fills supply chain gap with sustainable maritime boilersuit

Global port agency Inchcape Shipping Services has launched the Maritime-ENV boilersuit, marking the debut of a new line of fully sustainable personal protective equipment (PPE) designed specifically for the maritime industry. This initiative aligns with the company’s commitment to Procurement as a Service (PaaS) and reflects its strong emphasis on sustainability in operational practices. The Maritime-ENV boilersuit aims to enhance safety while minimizing environmental impact, demonstrating Inchcape's dedication to innovative and responsible sourcing solutions.

Inchcape Shipping Services has entered the workwear market for the shipping industry with the launch of its Maritime Classic sustainable boilersuit. This development emerged from the expertise of their Marine Supply Chain Solutions division, where they identified a gap in the supply chain for sustainable personal protective equipment (PPE). According to Robbie Mclellan, Head of Global Supply Chain at Inchcape, the company recognized an unmet demand for sustainable boilersuits.

Despite many ship operators focusing on environmental issues like reducing single-use plastics, Mclellan's team found that numerous Inchcape customers—ranging from small businesses to major shipping names—had not considered the sustainability of workwear. Mclellan pointed out that while cheap garments often come from unethical production practices, higher-quality maritime products can be costly and still lack a focus on sustainability.

He emphasized that existing sustainable boilersuits are typically generic and not tailored for maritime use. In contrast, Inchcape's offering will be unique, designed specifically for daily wear by seafarers across various types of vessels, and priced affordably in the mid-range.

The company plans to produce the garments using a fully sustainable supply chain, which includes an eco-friendly manufacturing process in India that utilizes renewable solar energy and rainwater capture. This process adheres to Sedex ethical trading standards, ensuring fair treatment and proper pay for workers. Additionally, the factory operator is working towards registration as a participant in the UN Global Compact.

Full traceability

The raw materials used in the Maritime Classic sustainable boilersuit will have full traceability. The cotton blended in the polycotton mix is sourced from ethically traded and sustainable origins, including some recycled content. Each boilersuit will feature the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) logo, which indicates that the cotton comes from sustainable sources. Established by the World Wide Fund for Nature, the BCI aims to improve cotton farming standards globally, allowing Inchcape to select from a wide range of BCI-approved suppliers in India and beyond. The company plans to choose the most cost-effective suppliers located near the manufacturing site to minimize carbon emissions associated with long-distance transportation.

Robbie Mclellan assures customers that from the cultivation to the manufacturing process, efforts will be made to reduce the carbon footprint of distribution, ensuring the boilersuit is a fully sustainable, high-quality product.

Furthermore, each batch of cotton for customer orders will have a unique BCI ID number, which customers can use for environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting. The boilersuits will feature double-stitched seams and embroidered company logos rather than heat-pressed logos, which are prone to fraying. Recyclable solid brass zippers will be standard, although customers can request plastic anti-spark zippers if desired.

Customers will also have the option to request minor design adjustments to the basic boilersuit, but major changes—like altering the placement of Velcro strips—will require a recertification process, which could extend lead times and increase costs.

Made to global standards

The garment is accredited according to European and international standards, including EN ISO 11611, EN ISO 11612, ISO 9001, EN 1149, EN 471, IEC 61482-1-2 CLASS 1, and BTTG’s Module D 2016/245 for PPE testing, as well as OEKO-TEX certification.

Old boilersuits can be returned for shredding and reintegrated into the production cycle. While the reflective tape elements made from fire-retardant polyvatex are not sustainable materials in themselves, they can be removed at the end of the garment's life and shredded for recycling.

Mclellan also emphasizes the commitment to reducing emissions associated with packaging and distribution through a “farm-to-plate” model. This approach includes minimizing single-use plastics in packaging and ensuring that any plastics used are recycled. Furthermore, all cardboard packaging is fully recyclable.

Positive market feedback

Mclellan recognizes that it's unusual for a port agent to introduce a physical product. “Some may find it odd, but we view this positively, as no other agent has identified a similar procurement gap and offered a comprehensive solution to customers. By laying the groundwork, we can save our clients valuable time, allowing them to avoid searching worldwide for sustainable boilersuits,” he explains. “The market feedback has been very encouraging, as this product can enhance customers' ESG reporting and broader sustainability initiatives.”

The boilersuit is fully aligned with Inchcape's own ESG strategy. “This is a small yet crucial step that supports our goals and those of our customers across various aspects, from reducing carbon footprints to combating poverty,” Mclellan states. “The cheapest boilersuits on the market are often not produced under high ethical standards, and there is significant ethically questionable cotton production globally that we aim to help eliminate. As an ethically responsible business, we want to advocate for these principles within our industry.”

Complete service package

As an agent, Inchcape is positioned to provide boilersuits in bulk with direct delivery to strategic locations aligned with customers' port calls. “For instance, if Dubai is the selected location, we can store garments there and deliver them directly to the vessel when your seafarers board. Currently, customers usually send PPE packages, including three or four boilersuits, boots, hard hats, and other gear, directly to each seafarer's home. They then have to carry all that equipment with them when flying out to join the vessel, which is quite inconvenient,” explains Mclellan.

With strategic storage facilities located globally, customers can effectively draw from their stock whenever they are in port, allowing Inchcape to handle the last-mile delivery. “This approach is much more sustainable than shipping items by plane from a single distribution point worldwide,” Mclellan adds.

What’s next?

Inchcape aims to broaden its product range over the long term to include sustainable underwear, rainwear, outerwear, and boots, as well as vessel-specific garments that may require additional licenses or slightly different specifications, such as those for work on chemical tankers. “We are also planning to offer a ladies’ range in anticipation of the growing number of female seafarers,” Mclellan adds.

This sustainable garment initiative underscores Inchcape’s commitment to product sourcing, Procurement as a Service (PaaS), and any other outsourced logistics or procurement functions that customers may need. “We are the only global agent providing this comprehensive 360-degree capability. Our main goal is to simplify our customers' lives by offering innovative solutions to their procurement challenges and ensuring continuity of service. They shouldn’t have to navigate a multitude of vendors worldwide when we already have an unparalleled strategic vendor database that enables us to offer excellent discounts to our customers,” explains Simon Potter, Chief Procurement Officer at Inchcape.

Tackling the ‘tail end’

Potter states that the project is part of Inchcape’s strategy to address customers’ more substantial Procurement as a Service (PaaS) requests, such as quarterly stores or provisions requests. “We aim to develop a more proactive procurement model instead of reacting to last-minute requests, focusing more on managing customers’ tail spend,” he explains. “In procurement training, the 80/20 rule is emphasized, which suggests that 80% of your spending is covered by 20% of your suppliers. In my experience, this is almost always the case, meaning the remaining 20% of spending is distributed among hundreds, if not thousands, of suppliers. Managing these relationships can be complex and costly, requiring extensive knowledge, experience, and time to minimize risks in your tail-spend supply chain.”

PaaS serves customers seeking to streamline their global supply chains. Inchcape offers local procurement solutions across hundreds of ports worldwide, utilizing its vetted vendor list while eliminating hidden costs and complexities, such as bank and exchange rate fees, and the need to maintain relationships with suppliers that customers might only use once or a few times a year.

Many large ship chandlers claim to provide similar last-mile services in various ports worldwide, even without a local office. “The key difference is that Inchcape has a physical presence in most of these locations as an agent, allowing us to track vessel arrivals and maintain a closer connection than most of our competitors. Traditional ship chandlers may be outsourcing to third parties,” Potter notes.

Having identified the supply chain gap for sustainable workwear, Inchcape is prepared to create tailored solutions for any procurement challenges customers face, collaborating with approved suppliers that have undergone a rigorous governance process. “As ESG demands grow, sustainability will likely become more critical throughout the operational supply chain, and we’re here to assist,” Potter concludes.