2020 saw a monumental step in reducing the environmental impact of shipping, as the 0.5 percent cap on sulfur emissions from marine fuel entered into force. Thorough preparations by ocean carriers, bunker providers and regulators ensured a smooth implementation, testament to the industry’s ability to make big changes for sustainability.
Addressing climate change by reducing and eventually eliminating our industry’s carbon emissions is the next big step, and 2021 will be a pivotal year. One critical step will be the establishment of an -IMO-supervised international research and development effort as proposed by the WSC and industry co-sponsors. The road to zero-emission fuels and technologies is hard for deep-sea shipping, and current research is not adequate to get us far enough, fast enough. The $5 billion industry-financed International Maritime Research and Development Board would provide research and development at scale, accelerating development to put zero-emission ships on the water in the 2030s. The industry is committed to making the necessary change, and technological development and investment certainty will jump-start the switch.
2021 will also be the year where we hope to see the world recovering from the heavy human toll and economic impact of the pandemic. The plight of seafarers, stuck at sea due to national restrictions, is a close-to-home example of the humanitarian toll of COVID-19. To exchange crews, shipping lines reroute vessels and charter aircraft, and organizations and governments have developed innovative solutions to mitigate the problem. But in the end, the solutions depend on actions by individual national governments. Ship crews must be recognized as essential workers and measures put in place by governments to enable crew changes. Anything less ignores the contributions of and hardships faced by seafarers and puts the distribution of vaccines, medical equipment, food, and other essential goods at risk.