- The World Shipping Council: Achieving Climate Objectives Remains Attainable
The head of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Arsenio Dominguez, believes the shipping sector is on the right path to meeting its climate protection objective. "We're making progress," Dominguez stated during the SMM event, a fair for shipbuilding, machinery, and marine technology in Hamburg. Last year, IMO members decided that worldwide shipping should aim for climate neutrality around 2050. Neutrality means no impact on the climate. Currently, over 170 nations are IMO members, including Germany, the U.S., and China.
Dominguez thinks the 2050 goal is attainable. He's confident. Advanced tech will be key. However, transforming the shipping industry comes with hurdles, said the IMO chief. "There's a cost involved." According to the International Energy Agency, shipping contributed about 2% of global CO2 emissions from energy use in 2022.
CEO: tech availability isn't it
The CEO of Augsburg-based MAN Energy Solutions, Uwe Lauber, stated at the fair that appropriate tech exists. The company has been providing alternative power solutions for some time. "It's not a tech availability issue," stated Lauber, who also sits on Germany's hydrogen council. "It's more about obtaining alternative fuels." The company offers engines and propellers for shipping, among other things.
Lauber, critically assessing Germany's hydrogen policy, stated there's much debate but clear action points. Money isn't a problem, as billions are available. What's lacking are decisions. "We need hydrogen - in large quantities," said Lauber. Shipping must replace millions of tons of heavy oil, and for that, it needs hydrogen.
Dominguez highlighted that China, being one of the over 170 nations in the IMO, has a crucial role to play in achieving the industry's climate neutrality objective by 2050. The availability of appropriate technology for this transition, as mentioned by MAN Energy Solutions' CEO, Uwe Lauber, provides hope for a greener shipping sector, even in major sea-faring nations like China.
