Key cargo owners look for zero-emission shipping by 2025

ngrid Irigoyen, president and CEO of ZEMBA: “Through this RFP, ZEMBA is kickstarting the transition to zero-emission fuels in an industry that is responsible for 90% of all global trade.”

While IMO has announced an enhanced common ambition to reach net-zero GHG emissions from international shipping by “close to 2050,” some influential cargo shippers don’t want to wait that long. They’re set to launch a Request for Proposals (RFP) for zero-emission shipping services to be delivered by 2025. That’s zero, not “net zero,” by the way.

ZEMBA (Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance), co-founded by the Aspen Institute, Amazon, Patagonia, and Tchibo, was established earlier this year to fast-track commercial deployment of zero-emission shipping, enable economies of scale, and help minimize maritime emissions.

Set for September 2023, the RFP in the works at ZEMBA will encourage proposals for zero-emission container shipping services, which ZEMBA defines as those that achieve at least 90% reduction in emissions on a lifecycle basis for greenhouse gases as compared to traditional petroleum products used in ocean shipping. Proposals for zero-emission services should provide scalable solutions as well as address safety and land use concerns, particularly those that relate to biogenic substances. Through this pilot, ZEMBA members will commit a portion of their demand for maritime shipping to zero-emission services. Bidders will vie for that aggregated demand of ZEMBA members, expected to reach 200,000+ TEUs, with delivery in 2025. Carriers are encouraged to develop bids by late October.

That 200,000 TEU is, of course, a fraction of the around 800 million TEU currently carried by global container shipping annually, so hoping for at least a small percentage of the world fleet to be zero-emission by two years from now is not an impossible ask.

ZEMBA is encouraging shipping lines, fuel producers, ports, logistics service providers and others across the value chain to respond to customer demand for sustainable actions and support the transition to a zero-emission shipping economy as quickly as possible. It says that starting the transition now will ensure a trajectory in line with the Paris Agreement and ensure companies can meet their ambitions under the Cargo Owners for Zero Emission Vessels (coZEV) 2040 Ambition Statement, signatories to which include the likes of IKEA, Michelin and other household name shippers.

“Through this RFP, ZEMBA is kickstarting the transition to zero-carbon-emission fuels in an industry that is responsible for 90% of all global trade,” said Ingrid Irigoyen, president and CEO of ZEMBA. “Ahead of the RfP launch, we encourage additional cargo owners to join us and receive early access to zero-emission shipping services, which are not yet available today. This groundbreaking effort to decarbonize a hard-to-abate sector will put the ocean shipping industry — with policymaker support — on a path forward that supports the goals outlined in the Paris Agreement and makes good business sense in a world where consumer values are evolving.”