Maritime shipping may be the most fuel-efficient mode of cargo transport – but, even so, it accounts for perhaps 10 per cent of transport-related emissions and might increase its share in the years to come. Therefore, if the world is to transition towards a net zero emissions trajectory, the maritime sector must play a key role. Some ambitious targets have already been set, including by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) which thinks it is possible to cut shipping emissions by at least 50 percent midway through the century. Various mechanisms could play a role here, including sustainable port practices, green corridors, and green hydrogen infrastructure. Despite this momentum, major challenges remain to be addressed—financing, for example, but, and the role of the Global South. This panel will examine the current state of maritime decarbonisation and explore the key opportunities and gaps in the path ahead. 

Driving Questions:

• How can environmental sustainability dovetail with financial sustainability? In other words, where will reliable financing come from for this vast project of sustainable shipping? 
• What ties together the energy and shipping sectors? Can transition in one enable a swifter transition in the other, and how can the energy sector support (and benefit from) new energy maritime corridors?
• How can the developed world, particularly those nations with an outsize maritime industry, support the Global South and provide the technical assistance and financial resources that might enable equitable and inclusive maritime decarbonisation?

Scene-setting Remarks

Gavin Allwright, Secretary-General, International Windship Association

Panellists

Maximilian Held, Head of Solutions Lab and Shipping Initiative, H2Global, Germany

Siv Remøy-Vangen, Chief Executive Officer, Norwegian Electric Systems, Norway

Michael Schröder, Member of the Board, Desertec Foundation, Germany

Moderator

Ashok Malik, Partner and Chair of India Practice, The Asia Group, India