The only certainty in the current uncertain times is that maritime transport remains the backbone of international trade – and for good reason.It remains the most cost-effective and eco-friendly way to move large quantities of goods across long distances. The ocean freight sector, however, is facing increasing pressure to decarbonise, as governments, businesses, and consumers demand more sustainable practices to combat climate change.“Shipping must embrace decarbonisation, alongside digitalisation and innovative technology – all the while ensuring the human element is kept front and centre of the technological transition,” Kitack Lim, secretary-general of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), recently said.All eyes are currently on the IMO, which is actively engaged in the process of upgrading the ‘Initial IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships’, with adoption scheduled for this July.The revised strategy, containing a basket of technical and economic measures, is expected to provide the necessary certainty for all stakeholders to invest in future fuels and ship-related technologies, setting a path for decarbonising shipping.In a statement, the IMO said it was making progress in the revision of the strategy and was on target to meet the mid-July deadline.The amendments to the strategy come amidst tumultuous times, with some countries lobbying intensely for net-zero emissions by 2050, versus others that want a more conservative strategy.Lim has acknowledged the ongoing debate. At the Singapore Maritime Week (SMW) held in late April, he told delegates the IMO was committed to delivering a strategy that was ambitious and bold enough to elevate the vision and levels of ambitions towards 2050.One of the most outspoken on the topic of sea freight and climate change has been John Kerry, the United States special presidential envoy for climate, who has publicly stated that climate change is by far the most significant challenge ever faced by humans.“Again and again I have said that the climate crisis and the ocean crisis are the same. We cannot fully address one without the other. It is the crisis of the air and the ocean,” he said.
