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Saturday, 10/05/2025, 11:58 (GMT +7)

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Global Maritime Forum releases landmark report on decarbonisation of shipping

The latest report from the Global Maritime Forum assesses the progress of Getting to Zero Coalition members in decarbonisation and recommends strategic actions to promote zero-emission shipping.

Getting to Zero Coalition Action Framework

The Global Maritime Forum has released its Getting to Zero Coalition Action Framework 2025 on 7 May. The report is a tool developed to assess and document the collective actions of Getting to Zero Coalition members towards the goal of decarbonising the shipping industry. The framework aims to increase transparency, demonstrate the leadership of the Coalition, promote collective accountability and inspire companies to take action. The report is not only a benchmark for members but also a dynamic reference for other organisations in advancing the International Maritime Organization (IMO) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction strategy.

Scope and assessment methodology

The report assesses the actions that members are taking to support the Alliance’s overall ambition. The scope of the report covers all industry members of the Getting to Zero Alliance, with 76 member organisations submitting responses.

To achieve full decarbonisation by 2050, the use of scalable zero-emission fuels (SZEFs) is a prerequisite, with a target of at least 5% of total energy use in the shipping sector coming from SZEFs by 2030. The framework for action was developed based on previous research and includes 26 specific actions assessed through a ranking system according to their level of completion.

Action Areas

The report identified 26 action areas, of which 25 were scored for each responding organization and each segment of the value chain. Actions are categorized by key themes including:

1) Facilitation (average score: 58%)

Including actions:

- Greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets (unscored)

- Transition planning (32%)

- Progress reporting (63%)

- IMO policy engagement (47%)

- National or regional policy engagement (49%)

- Rules and guidelines of hierarchical organizations (42%)

2) Incentives and market making (average score: 42%)

Including actions:

- Transparency in ship finance (67%)

- Transparency in shipping operations (45%)

- Port incentives (57%)

- Green loans (17%)

- Matching supply and demand for zero-emission fuels (23%)

3) First movers and niche market development (average score: 24%)

Including actions:

- Book and Claim (20%)

- Commercialization of zero-emission shipping services (6%)

- Procurement of zero-emission shipping services (20%)

- Pilot and demonstration projects (56%)

- Green corridors (16%)

4) Transformative investments (average score: 23%)

Including actions:

- Capacity building for seafarers (20%)

- Zero-emission infrastructure (37%)

- Zero-emission engines and shipbuilding (33%)

- Retrofitting of zero-emission solutions (8%)

- Zero-emission financing (17%)

5) Deployment of zero-emission shipping (average score: 26%)

- Zero-emission fuel production facilities (54%)

- Fuel production in developing countries (21%)

- Fuel supply for the maritime industry (8%)

- Zero-emission fuel adoption (19%)

- Zero-emission ship orders and deployments (27%)

Overall, Alliance members are facing common industry challenges, including uncertainty around IMO medium-term measures, the competitiveness of fuel routes and the future supply-demand match for zero-emission solutions.

Recommendations

The report makes recommendations for both industry and policymakers:

- For the maritime sector: Prioritise long-term transition planning (post-2035), share knowledge and best practices, engage in innovative trade arrangements to share costs and risks, and advocate for national and international policy incentives.

- For policymakers: Strengthen international regulation with credible measures to scale up zero-emission shipping, implement national incentives and infrastructure investment, and develop national hydrogen strategies.

Conclusion

Despite challenges and slow progress in some areas, the report shows that Getting to Zero members are demonstrating leadership in accelerating the transition to zero-emission shipping. The most notable efforts have been in facilitating and some members have made progress in developing and deploying zero-emission assets. However, more work is needed, particularly in developing niche markets and securing strategic commitments to overcome policy and economic uncertainty.