How the Shipping Industry Is Trying to Cut Its Billion Tons of CO2 Emissions

Shipping’s global regulator is pushing the industry to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by mid-century. Getting there will mean transforming a sector that’s still largely powered by fossil fuels and accounts for about 3% of human-made carbon dioxide.

Shipping carries more than 80% of world trade and in total emitted more than a billion tons of CO2 in 2018, according to the International Maritime Organization’s most recent greenhouse gas study — a global reference for estimating GHG emissions. While companies are ordering ships that can run on alternative fuels like methanol, and dipping into emission-cutting technologies like wind and hull-cleaning robots, the overwhelming majority of the fleet is still burning oil. Houthi attacks in the Red Sea area have also forced carbon-spewing ships to take longer routes, adding millions of tons of pollution. Sanctions on Russia and drought in the Panama Canal have also pushed cargo-carriers to sail significantly further.