The ship.energy podcast

In this special episode, we analyse the implications of the IMO Net-Zero Framework postponement with representatives of the shipping industry, Pacific Island States and environmental NGOs who attended the extraordinary MEPC meeting. John Taukave, researcher at the Micronesian Center for Sustainable Transport, describes the outcome of the extraordinary MEPC session, where a majority of IMO member states voted to adjourn the meeting for a year, as ‘very heartbreaking’ and ‘a huge disappointment’ that will bring an additional year of climate impacts for Pacific Island communities.A technical support and advisor for the Vanuatu delegation during the meeting, he describes the pressure, including at the highest level of government, that many countries came under from the United States, which opposed what it described as a carbon tax and threatened possible retaliation against states that would support it. John also looks ahead to the next steps, vowing that Pacific Island States will continue their outreach work and the development of proposals to build support for the adoption of a first global GHG pricing mechanism for international shipping. Simon Bennett, Deputy Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping, also expresses his disappointment at the outcome of the MEPC session, which he says fails to provide shipowners with the certainty they need to make major investment decisions. Asked to analyse why the IMO Net-Zero Framework went from having the support of a majority of countries in April to a majority voting to postpone it six months later, he emphasises the importance of avoiding ‘blame games’. Although ICS had supported the proposed regulation to ensure a level playing field for the global industry, Simon acknowledges that the agreement’s complexity had caused concern. He argues that ‘a way has to be found’ to account for the reservations expressed by many countries. Simon also reflects on what the outcome of MEPC means for IMO’s role as shipping’s global regulator. He warns that, if member states opt for an ‘explicit’ acceptance procedure, as was suggested by the United States, it risks creating a precedent that would make future regulatory updates more difficult. Blánaid Sheeran, Policy Officer for Climate Diplomacy at Opportunity Green, insists that the IMO Net-Zero Framework is not dead, but delayed. She highlights that there is now an opportunity for regional and national players, as well as corporations, to take leadership on maritime decarbonisation. While acknowledging that current geopolitics may make it harder to reach global climate agreements in the short term, she points out that politics is ‘ever changing’, whilst ‘climate change is not politics; it is science, and it is facts.’ Asked about the development of implementation guidelines, which began immediately after MEPC, she reports that those discussions have so far been constructive, with member states showing a ‘collaborative spirit.’ She expresses her optimism that a consensus could be found in the next year, before delegates have to adjudicate again on the proposed GHG pricing mechanism for international shipping.

Cruise company Carnival Corporation unpacks the learning from its experience spearheading shore power in this new episode of the First Movers series.Podcast highlightsMarcel explains how a combination of geography, available renewable electricity supplies and community support led Carnival Corporation to develop shore power in Juneau, Alaska, back in 2001. Nearly 25 years later, he acknowledges that the use of shore power across the fleet of 90 ships remains relatively small, given that only 33 of the 800 ports where the vessels call (about 4%) currently offer shore power. Nevertheless, he argues that the investment in making vessels capable of using shore power, which runs into the millions per ship, was worth it. While he recognises that shore power does not make sense for all ports due to insufficient grid capacity or a lack of maritime traffic, he argues that the investment would make commercial sense for many more ports. He points to the importance of leadership from port authorities in driving initiatives like shore power, and shares his view on why deployment has been sluggish in the past two decades. Marcel also responds to the wider debate about sustainability in the cruise sector. He points out that by improving energy efficiency, the company has lowered its greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity per passenger by 41% compared to 2008 levels and peaked its total emissions in 2011 despite growing its business by 37%. However, he emphasises that the transition to alternative fuels depends on many factors outside cruise lines’ control, such as the availability of new fuels at an economically viable price. Describing hydrogen and ammonia as currently unrealistic for the sector, he explains why the company has opted for the LNG pathway, with 10 LNG-capable ships in its fleet and 8 more expected to be delivered by 2033. Finally, he reflects on how Carnival Corporation’s experience with shore power development revealed the importance of a long-term vision and collaboration to achieve progress on decarbonisation.

The Executive Director of the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association, Helene Tofte, unpacks some of the main reasons why the country seems to have a head start on the energy transition – from the impact of ownership structures on individual companies’ willingness to invest for the long term, to the presence of industry clusters to foster collaboration on new technologies. Data from the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association shows that 90% of its members have invested in emissions reduction technologies, including battery and hybrid systems, wind propulsion, and shore power. Moreover, about 15% of vessels owned by the Association’s members today are powered by alternative fuels, compared to 2% of the global fleet. The orderbook reveals a similar trend, with 72% of newbuilds on order from Norwegian owners set to run on alternative fuels, compared to the global average of 27%. Helene explains how Norwegian shipowners make business cases work for those investments in new fuels or technologies, and whether those decisions are already paying off in commercial terms. She also lifts the veil on the challenges faced by the country’s shipowners. While the level of state support for decarbonisation makes Norway the envy of other owners elsewhere in the world, she argues that there is a need to ensure that enough funding is allocated for energy efficiency measures, and not solely for cutting-edge net-zero projects. Finally, she reflects on the importance of the IMO adopting its Net-Zero Framework in October, but also of the EU harmonising its regulation, to create a level playing field globally. About the Norwegian Shipowners’ AssociationThe Norwegian Shipowners’ Association (Norges Rederiforbund) is a trade and employment organisation representing Norwegian-controlled companies in the shipping and offshore industry.The Association has 128 members, which control a 450-strong offshore fleet, including wind- and subsea vessels, as well as 240 ships on short-sea routes and over 700 vessels in the deep-sea segment. In addition, 50 mobile offshore units are part of its member fleet.

In this episode, BV’s maritime head details why he believes that shipping needs ‘radical ideas’ to achieve its decarbonisation targets. Speaking after the publication of his second book, titled Toward a sustainable blue economy, in which he calls for ‘a revolution in how we finance, fuel and operate the global fleet’, Matthieu de Tugny outlines what this looks like in practice. He offers some avenues to reinvent the current economics behind investment and funding decisions in shipping, which are generally geared towards proven technology – often conventional fossil fuels – and tend to incentivise shipowners to ‘sit back and wait’.Describing green financing as a ‘structural enabler’ of decarbonisation, he shares his views on the impact of initiatives such as the Poseidon Principles and the Sea Cargo Charter, and explains what more can be done by regulators to give a competitive advantage to first movers and bring more certainty on broader infrastructure and supply chain investments. Matthieu de Tugny also shares his advice for owners of smaller fleets or vessels operated on tramp trades. Whilst acknowledging that those companies are unlikely to become early adopters of new fuels such as ammonia or methanol, he emphasised the importance of incremental progress delivered by efficiency improvements or transition fuels such as biofuels.He reflects on how classification societies are set to be transformed by shipping’s decarbonisation transition, helping mitigate risk around new fuels and technologies and taking on a more advisory role. Finally, he shares his views on the potential applications of artificial intelligence (AI) to optimise the performance and maintenance of fleets, and explains why he believes that training could be the most important challenge for the industry going forward.

In this episode, we meet students, tutors and managers at the South Devon College Marine Academy to discuss how maritime training is evolving amid shipping’s digital and energy transitions. The Academy, on the banks of the River Dart, in South West England, trains between 70 and 100 students and apprentices each year in its maritime programmes. Join our Senior Editor Ariane Morrissey as she accompanies a group of Maritime Studies pupils on a sea outing on the last day of their year-long programme, in June 2025. We meet Emma Eggleton and Harry Clayton, both 17, who share their thoughts on the profound changes that the maritime industry will experience during their future careers at sea – and why they feel up to the challenge. During our visit, learning support technician Shaun Cuming and lecturer Rebecca Sanders explain how they have already started adapting their teaching to prepare their students for the new fuels and technologies that they are likely to encounter on ships.Finally, Paul Singer, business and qualification development coordinator at the Academy, reflects on the challenges that the energy transition is bringing for maritime training institutions, including that of developing new course content, training its own teaching staff, and finding funding for new equipment for its workshops. He argues that the transition can open up new opportunities, as the industry is already manifesting its demand for training courses to upskill its workforce, and demand for trained maritime workers will grow from emerging sectors such as offshore wind.

In this sixth episode of the First Movers series, Odfjell’s Erik Hjortland discusses the results and lessons learned from the installation of more than 140 energy efficiency technologies across the company’s fleet of 71 chemical tankers. The Norwegian owner and operator first embarked on an energy efficiency programme in 2007, using enhanced data collection to drive operational improvements, before rolling out a retrofitting programme to upgrade rudder systems, propellers and main engines across its fleet from 2015. In this conversation, Erik comments on the results achieved by the programme, which has improved the energy efficiency of Odfjell’s managed fleet by 53% compared to a 2008 baseline. He also sheds light on the company’s approach to selecting what technologies to install on its vessels, and shares his insights into which ones have delivered the best return on investment in real-life operations.He argues that the business case for energy efficiency is clear, revealing that Odfjell has invested $40 million in energy efficiency technologies since 2014, which led to $108 million in savings in the past five years. Erik also explains why Odfjell decided to move one step further with the installation of suction sails on the Bow Olympus, and the completion of a near carbon neutral transatlantic voyage which combined wind propulsion and biofuels. He calls on the industry to do more to harness the emissions reduction potential of existing technologies.*** First Movers puts the spotlight on maritime companies that that were among the first to trial and adopt new fuels or technologies. The series goes beyond initial big announcements and headlines, and asks what happens in the months and years that follow. It aims to unpack the practical challenges that first movers experience, and implementing new fuels or technologies have transformed their operations and business. Listen to the previous episodes in the First Movers series: Episode 01: Rasmus Nielsen, Naval Architect / Officer at Scandlines, one of the first companies to install rotor sails on their shipsEpisode 02: Andrew Hoare, Group Manager of Green Shipping at Fortescue, which pioneered the world’s first ship to use ammonia as fuelEpisode 03: Jordan Pechie, President of Seaspan Marine Transportation, about the deployment of fully-electric tugboats in their fleetEpisode 04: Femke Brenninkmeijer, CEO of NPRC, which spearheaded the world’s first newbuild inland vessel that can use hydrogen as a fuelEpisode 05: Henrik Røjel, Head of Decarbonisation & Climate Solutions at Norden, which became one of the first companies to trial 100% biofuels on a large ocean-going vessel

As the dust begins to settle on the landmark approval of the first global greenhouse gas (GHG) pricing mechanism for international shipping, the IMO Secretary-General considers the road ahead, and urges the industry to not delay action on decarbonisation. In this conversation, Arsenio Dominguez reflects on the eventful MEPC 83 meeting that led to IMO member states approving a ‘compromise’ text comprising mandatory requirements for the GHG intensity of the energy used by ships, with penalties for non-compliant vessels based on a tiered system. He responds to criticisms that the new IMO Net-Zero Framework is unlikely to achieve the IMO’s own GHG emissions reductions targets, insisting that the organisation remains on track to meet its ambition of reaching net-zero ‘by or around’ 2050. Although the approval required a vote, a rare occurrence at the IMO which generally makes decisions by consensus, the Secretary-General describes the agreement as ‘an immense achievement’ and is adamant that the measure will be formally adopted in October as scheduled. Asked what his priorities will be in the lead-up to that extraordinary MEPC session, he outlines how he will attempt to address the concerns of member states that opposed the measure in April – and explains what will be his approach to the United States, which did not attend the discussions in London, instead sending a letter to oppose the measure and threaten retaliatory action against any fees. Arsenio Dominguez calls on ship owners, operators and fuel producers to take action, laying out a timeline for when much-anticipated guidelines will be available ahead of the planned entry into force of the new pricing mechanism in 2027.https://www.imo.org/

In this special episode, representatives from Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and the bunkering industry lay out their hopes and expectations ahead of the IMO’s MEPC 83 meeting, which is set to approve potentially ‘game-changing’ measures for shipping’s energy transition. Ambassador Albon Ishoda, Marshall Islands’ Special Envoy for Maritime Decarbonisation, and Edmund Hughes, IBIA’s Representative to the IMO, concur in calling for Member States to agree a strong economic measure or greenhouse gas levy when they meet in London. They highlight the ‘vast’ needs to both fund shipping’s energy transition and build climate resilience in developing countries. Ambassador Ishoda explains why a GHG levy – something that Pacific and Caribbean SIDS have been demanding for years – is one of the most important elements that he wants to see in the final agreement. He also argues that the price of this levy must be ‘high enough’ so that in addition to incentivising new fuels and technologies, revenues can also be used to support developing countries that are experiencing first-hand the impacts of climate change. IBIA’s Edmund Hughes also backs the proposal of a fund supported by a levy or anothersimilar maritime GHG pricing mechanism. He believes this has the potential to be a game-changer, by providing the clear demand signals needed by the industry to invest in the production and bunkering of low- and zero-carbon fuels for shipping.Both guests share their thoughts on whether an agreement can be reached at MEPC 83, despite fundamental differences in opinions between countries and amid changing geopolitics. Although the GHG levy proposal has gained momentum and is now backed by more than 50 countries, it is opposed by others who cite concerns about potential impacts of a levy on economies, shipping prices, and food security. Hughes and Ishoda also give their views on what will come after MEPC 83: how the industry and financiers might respond to an economic measure, and how a potential IMO Fund could help build climate resilience in developing countries.