Sailing cargo ships are making a genuine comeback

Christiaan De Beukelaer, Senior Lecturer in Culture & Climate at The University of Melbourne writes on The Conversation website about the potential for wind-powered cargo ships to make a comeback globally. Amid much scepticism, he found most objections to wind-propelled shipping are based on four myths that can be easily debunked. Wind-powered cargo ships … Continue reading Sailing cargo ships are making a genuine comeback →

Maritime industry’s energy transition must be “just” and “equitable”

The International Maritime Organisation uses the terms “just” and “equitable” in discussions around shipping’s energy transition. But there is currently no consensus over how to define these terms. Christiaan De Beukelaer, Visiting Fellow at the Institute of Advanced Study, Durham University and Senior Lecturer in Culture & Climate at The University of Melbourne discusses latest … Continue reading Maritime industry’s energy transition must be “just” and “equitable” →

Shipping industry under pressure to reduce GHG emissions given that 99% of shipping globally is powered by fossil fuels

Chris Brown writes on the CBC News website about the pressure that the shipping industry is under, given that all sectors of the economy are having to find an appropriate path to net-zero emissions. Importantly, one company, Copenhagen-based Maersk, until recently the world's No. 1 container shipper over the past 25 years, has set one … Continue reading Shipping industry under pressure to reduce GHG emissions given that 99% of shipping globally is powered by fossil fuels →

EU policymakers must urgently strengthen the draft rules to phase out fossil fuels in shipping as quickly as possible, or face potential international litigation

A proposed EU marine fuel standard would promote sales of LNG, a fossil fuel supplied by Russia, instead of the zero-emission solutions needed under the Paris Agreement. Aoife O’Leary, head of Opportunity Green, a non-profit focusing on international climate issues, provides his views in an article on the climate change news website. EU must … Continue reading EU policymakers must urgently strengthen the draft rules to phase out fossil fuels in shipping as quickly as possible, or face potential international litigation →

The pros and cons of pulling the shipping industry into the EU’s emissions trading scheme

Andrew Warren, former special advisor to the House of Commons environment select committee, explores the EU Commission's ambition to include European shipping in its emissions trading scheme in an article first published on the Business Green website. Tax or trade: Is the EU's emissions trading scheme the best way to tackle CO2 from shipping? … Continue reading The pros and cons of pulling the shipping industry into the EU’s emissions trading scheme →

We need to think about the wide range of ways to cut shipping emissions in the coming decade

One of the sectors doing the most damage is international shipping, the emissions of which are almost equivalent to those of an industrial country like Germany. Simon Bullock, PhD Candidate in Shipping and Climate Change at the University of Manchester provides 10 ways to reduce GHG emissions in an article on The Conversation website. … Continue reading We need to think about the wide range of ways to cut shipping emissions in the coming decade →

World’s first crewless, fully electric cargo ship to set sail

The world’s first fully autonomous and electric cargo ship will launch on its first commercial operation in Norway later this year, which if successful could transform the highly-polluting shipping industry. Lewin Day discusses latest developments in an article on the Hackaday website. The World’s First Autonomous Electric Cargo Ship Is Due To Set Sail … Continue reading World’s first crewless, fully electric cargo ship to set sail →

Leaked EU policy document designed to cut carbon emissions in shipping shows plans, will ‘lock in the use of fossil fuels for decades to come and make the EU’s target of net emissions neutrality by 2050 unreachable

Daniel Boffey writes on The Guardian website about a leaked EU policy document that has raised the concerns of NGOs that there will be a lock in the use of fossil fuels in the shipping industry for decades to come. Draft EU policy to cut shipping emissions condemned as ‘disaster’ A leaked draft of … Continue reading Leaked EU policy document designed to cut carbon emissions in shipping shows plans, will ‘lock in the use of fossil fuels for decades to come and make the EU’s target of net emissions neutrality by 2050 unreachable →

International Maritime Organization accused of repeatedly delayed and watered down climate regulations

Behind closed doors, shipbuilders and miners can speak on behalf of governments while regulating an industry that pollutes as much as all of America’s coal plants. Matt Apuzzo and Sarah Hurtes discuss the organisation in an article on the New York Times website. Tasked to Fight Climate Change, a Secretive U.N. Agency Does the … Continue reading International Maritime Organization accused of repeatedly delayed and watered down climate regulations →

Fitting giant sails to cargo ships could reduce their GHG emissions by at least 30 %

Graeme Paton writes on The Times website about the GHG emissions that could be reduced by retrofitting sails on ships. The UK government announced this week that emissions from international shipping would be included in the UK’s climate change targets so obviously people are looking at creative ways to mitigate emissions. Attaching giant sails … Continue reading Fitting giant sails to cargo ships could reduce their GHG emissions by at least 30 % →