Abstract
The Initial Strategy on reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in 2018 commits the IMO to reduce total GHG emissions of shipping by at least 50% by 2050. Though the direction of the Strategy is clear, the path to implementation remains uncertain. The ambitious IMO’s target calls for widespread uptake of lower and zero-carbon fuels, in addition to other energy efficiency measures, including operational and market ones. Using a triangulated research approach, this paper provides a critical overview of the main measures and initiatives the shipping industry can adopt to try to cope with the new IMO’s requirements. The pros and cons of the most popular emission reduction options are investigated along with the main challenges and barriers to implementation and the potential facilitators that could foster a wider application. The framework that is outlined is complex and not without controversy. Research can play a key role as a facilitator of shipping’s decarbonization by providing its contribution to overcoming the existing controversies on various decarbonization options and by developing a wealth of knowledge that can encourage the implementation of low-carbon initiatives.
Highlights
Maritime transport is, by far, the most cost-effective way to move goods around the world, and despite a slight decline in 2018, it remains the backbone of international trade: More than four-fifths of global trade by volume is carried by sea [1]
In an attempt to contribute increasing the general understanding of the decarbonization challenge for the shipping industry, this paper provides a critical overview of the main measures available for cutting down shipping emissions and discusses the main organizational, technical, economic and political challenges and barriers to implementation along with the potential facilitators that could foster a wider application
Using a triangulation research approach, this paper has offered an overall and critical overview of the most common and promising measures and initiatives the shipping industry can adopt to try to cope with the new International Maritime Organization (IMO)’s requirements
Summary
By far, the most cost-effective way to move goods around the world, and despite a slight decline in 2018, it remains the backbone of international trade: More than four-fifths of global trade by volume is carried by sea [1]. Several quite recent special issues dealing with specific aspects of sustainability in the shipping and port industry are available [16,17,18,19], further confirming the strong interest in the topic Notwithstanding this significant body of literature, it seems that the complex issue of decarbonizing the maritime industry would benefit from an overall summary framework designed to configure the key elements that are going to characterize the low-carbon transition, both for the industry and research agenda. In an attempt to contribute increasing the general understanding of the decarbonization challenge for the shipping industry, this paper provides a critical overview of the main measures available for cutting down shipping emissions and discusses the main organizational, technical, economic and political challenges and barriers to implementation along with the potential facilitators that could foster a wider application.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
