Infographic: Are Maritime Climate Targets Off Course?

In September 2022, a report by the consultancy UMAS and funded in part by Lloyd’s Register and the World Economic Forum looked at the progress toward one near-term goal: converting 5 percent of the volume of fuel for international shipping be made up of “scalable zero-emission fuels.” These so-called SZEFs are alternatives to bunker and diesel fuel and span a wide range, everything from biofuel and methanol to hydrogen, batteries, or even wind power. The report, Climate Action in Shipping: Progress towards Shipping’s 2030 Breakthrough, assessed readiness and stumbling blocks toward reaching zero-carbon goals.

Focusing on the technology and supply domain, where engineering will make the biggest difference, the report identifies 10 key actions needed to reach the 5 percent mark and found that progress was sharply divided. “Most industry actions are ascertained as not being on track,” the report stated, “with the international and national public policy/NGOs actions being either fully on track or at least partially.”

It’s critically important to move from pilot projects to production—and to build the infrastructure to support zero-emission shipping. The chart below shows where the industry is moving forward—and where it is off course.