Inclusion of shipping in the EU ETS will encourage shipping’s journey towards decarbonisation, but EU action threatens to undermine broader international progress if the ETS extends outside of the EU, says World Shipping Council (WSC).

“The EU can lead global climate action, but it can’t succeed alone. Advancing fuel-technology pathways in global shipping requires the shared commitment and cooperation of industry, governments and international regulators. Through the ETS, the EU has a unique opportunity to strengthen, motivate and complement global policy for reducing greenhouse gas emission in international shipping,” says John Butler, President & CEO.

As part of the EU Green Deal, the FuelEU Maritime Regulation intended to promote demand for lower greenhouse gas fuels can play an important role in shipping’s journey towards decarbonisation. In a position paper published today, the World Shipping Council (WSC), representing 90% of international liner shipping, welcomes the FuelEU proposal as an opportunity to drive progress towards EU targets and contribute to the decarbonisation of international shipping. However, the proposal’s actual impact will hinge on optimizing the geographical scope of FuelEU and making sure fuel availability keeps pace with fuel use requirements.

In striving for greater awareness and usage of the CTU Code in order to improve safety in the intermodal supply chain, the Cargo Integrity Group (CIG) has published its Quick Guide to the Code, and its accompanying Container Packing Checklist, in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

The Covid-19 cargo congestion brought on by extreme demand in combination with operational disruptions is very real and felt across supply chains globally. In the U.S. in particular, all parts of the supply chain are facing unprecedented pressures – there is a lack of rail and truck capacity, warehouses are full, and ports are bursting at the seams. It is in part in this context that the President is issuing an Executive Order that addresses shipping along with other industries.

The shipping industry has welcomed the growing momentum for a USD 5 billion R&D Fund for shipping, but is calling on governments to act in line with their climate commitments and not waste more time in moving forward with decisive action to support the decarbonisation of the industry.

We are committed to decarbonisation and ready to do our part. The international maritime transportation system drives the world economy. World trade and the world’s economies cannot afford a chaotic decarbonisation of shipping. Nor can time be lost in effectively tackling the challenge. We therefore invite all governments to show engagement and climate leadership on the international stage, through support for the IMRB at the UN IMO.

Ahead of President Biden’s climate summit, shipping industry bodies representing the majority of maritime trade have called on world leaders to quickly commence deliberations on how mandatory market-based measures (MBMs) could be implemented for international shipping.

The proposal to create a USD 5 billion USD International Maritime Research and Development Board (IMRB) was submitted to the UN’s International Maritime Organisation (IMO) on the 10th of March 2021 by Georgia, Greece, Japan, Liberia, Malta, Nigeria, Palau, Singapore, and Switzerland. Denmark now joins as a co-sponsor, and we expect several other nations to voice their support for the proposal at the next meeting of the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee in June.

Industry partners welcome “moon-shot” proposal from governments to set up a $5 billion USD fund to catalyze the vital research and development needed to help shipping meet UN decarbonisation goals.

The World Shipping Council (WSC) is excited to welcome to the team Mr John Bradshaw, in a global role as Technical Director for Environment and Safety, and Dr James Corbett as Environmental Director, Europe.

To support its growing scope of activities across the globe, the World Shipping Council (WSC) is as of March 1, 2021, adding two positions to its operations in Singapore, as well as welcoming a new colleague in the US.

Ocean carriers are taking all available measures to improve the speed and efficiency of cargo movement including employing all available vessel tonnage.