Maersk Line's Climate Box, an interactive exhibit housed inside a prototype container which gives the community insight about the effects of global shipping, will be available to the public in Charleston from May 10th through May 15th in the VELUX 5 OCEANS Race Village.' Maersk Line, an environmental leader in ocean shipping, is the Official Transportation Partner of the VELUX 5 OCEANS Race.' The Maersk Line Climate Box exhibit educates visitors about greenhouse gas emissions generated by transporting cargo, eco-efficiency improvements in ship design and operational decisions made to use resources more efficiently.' A special 'cash register' lets visitors scan the CO2 footprint of everyday goods!' The Climate Box will be open daily during the Charleston Harbor Fest event.'

"We created the Climate Box to help people understand how decisions that we each make can impact the environment and world climate.' Bringing it to an event like this allows us to have conversations with businesses and community members about these important issues," said Lee Kindberg, Director Environment and Sustainability, Maersk Line North America. 'Maersk Line is committed to environmental leadership in the shipping industry and to demonstrating the importance of sustainability and the company's dedication to environmental performance.'

Organizers estimate that thousands of visitors will walk through the Climate Box. It was originally developed for the 2009 Copenhagen Climate Change Conference.' It was created with the help from experts from Experimentarium, a Copenhagen-based museum and science center and built by Maersk Container Industries. The Climate Box is constructed with a 100% plastic recycled plastic flooring and painted with a water-based paint.

'Maersk Line connects the Port of Charleston, one of the busiest and most productive in the country, with markets and suppliers around the world,' says State Senator Lawrence Grooms, Chairman of the South Carolina Senate Transportation Committee. 'The Climate Box is an innovative, imaginative way to show consumers and producers in the Southeast and beyond that Maersk remains true to its mantra of constant care.'

'The Port of Charleston shares Maersk's commitment to supply chain sustainability and welcomes the Velux 5 OCEANS race for the third time,' said Jim Newsome, President & CEO of the South Carolina State Ports Authority.' 'We look forward to having the Climate Box' here, bringing valuable lessons on how we enhance our economy, our communities, and our environment through global trade.'

Maersk Line's sustainable approach to shipping fits perfectly with the VELUX 5 OCEANS' sustainability concept 'Taking on the Elements,' the 5 OCEANS Races' commitment to the planet and the challenges to the world on sustainable development.' Race participants are rewarded for fuel efficiency and measured on sustainability using Eco 60 Boat Class vessels.' Maersk Line provided six containers to the race's skippers and partners in their home ports to ship materials to the race start in La Rochelle. The containers contain race materials and arrive in the host ports of La Rochelle, Cape Town, Wellington and Charleston in time for each stopover period of the race.

This 30,000 nautical mile global circum-navigational solo yacht race began in October 2010 with five teams in La Rochelle, France and has stopovers in South Africa, New Zealand, South America and North America.' The race will take the participants across five oceans, including the ice-cold and treacherous Southern Ocean. Charleston is the fourth stop of the worldwide race.