Get your data in order and set a course for greener shipping

There is cause for optimism in the shipping sector, and we are seeing more and more initiatives aimed at making shipping greener. Shipowners are now far more willing to reduce emissions from ships than they were just a few years ago. That said, we must also acknowledge that the shipping industry has a data problem, which means shipowners are not getting the insights needed to accelerate the green transition.

In the coming weeks alone, there are two events worth keeping an eye on. From 23 to 27 November, the IMO’s working group known as ISWG-GHG 23 will continue its discussions on a global Net-Zero Framework – that is, proposals for common, global climate rules designed to steer the shipping industry towards net-zero emissions by 2050. A few days later, from 30 November to 3 December, the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) will convene for MEPC 85, with emissions, energy efficiency and environmental protection, amongst other topics, on the agenda.

There remains disagreement over the way forward, but the work being done within the IMO, amongst others, demonstrates a willingness to find common solutions. I sense the same willingness when I speak to shipping companies and other industry stakeholders. Compared with just three years ago, there is far greater interest in concrete climate action.

However, although progress is being made, the shipping industry still has a data problem. We still know too little about the emissions of individual ships and how they can reduce their fuel consumption. Far too many people still rely on calculations that are, at best, uncertain and, at worst, misleading.

This story was originally published by Container News. Read the full story at Container News →