Challenges of implementing sustainable solutions in commercial shipping

Abstract

Commercial shipping contributes to climate change, and sustainable development has only recently become a well-known and influential megatrend. Shipping companies are facing the need to reduce amount of pollution and carbon emissions in order to match IMO and EU targets, especially in the sensitive region of the Baltic Sea. In this work, sustainability documents published by companies were analyzed, compared with each other and with an interview with an expert from Baltic Sea Action Group, and common trends and issues of sustainable development were outlined: future zero-emission fuels (green hydrogen, green ammonia, green methanol) require empirical data, green electricity, up-to-date legislation, suitable storage infrastructure and an industry-wide transformation. Until then, companies implement “transition stage” solutions like LNG, biodiesel, dual fuel engines and energy efficiency measures. In general, shipping companies have the financial resources for sustainable development, but coordination on different levels throughout the industry, testing of new technologies, the current state of green fuel market and the global scale of shipping (with its many economic and political factors that are often out of the companies’ area of direct involvement) are areas of issue.