New Plans for Emissions Free Shipping Revealed

In October 2021, the Cargo Owner for Zero Emission Vessels (coZEV) was launched. coZEV, facilitated by the Aspen Institute, has been seen as a platform for multinational companies to come together to initiate high-impact programs accelerating the maritime industry’s transition to emissions free shipping.

And now, coZEV has begun demonstrating the feasibility of scalable zero-emission fuels and technologies. Shortly after the coZEV 2040 Ambition Statement was announced, the largest container carriers in the world revealed plans to launch new transoceanic dual-fuel container ships capable of using zero-emission fuels by the mid-2020s.

In a nutshell, the coZEV 2040 Ambition Statement is the first-of-its-kind call to action from cargo owners to progressively switch all of their ocean freight to vessels powered by zero-carbon fuels by 2040.

Numerous zero-emission fuel production plans were also announced by maritime fuel producers and major bunkering hubs worldwide. Across the entire value chain, cargo owners set higher targets, and supported new partnerships, such as the Los Angeles-Shanghai Green Shipping Corridor Partnership, and the commitments of the First Movers Coalition, both of which are partners of the Aspen Institute.

Doubling the numbers

Recently, coZEV added Beiersdorf, Dupont, Electrolux, Ettli Kaffee, Moose Toys, Ohana Beverage Company, Philips, REI Co-op, Sisley, and Target to its 2040 Ambition Statement.

These multinational companies now join Amazon, Brooks Running, Frog Bikes, IKEA, Inditex, Michelin, Patagonia, Tchibo, and Unilever, bringing the total to 19 companies that have openly committed to helping accelerate the decarbonization of the maritime value chain. The new signatories double the number of companies that have signed onto the coZEV 2040 Ambition Statement.

“In less than a year, coZEV has changed the narrative surrounding decarbonization in maritime shipping,” said Dan Porterfield, president and CEO of the Aspen Institute. “Through coZEV, cargo owners are kickstarting a clean energy transition in this critical industry, and the Aspen Institute is proud to support them and help enable their success.”

coZEV also compelled signatories IKEA, Unilever, and Tchibo to urge policymakers in the European Union to increase its FuelEU Maritime Proposal targets in order to further accelerate maritime decarbonization, as well as provide incentives for the deployment and rapid scaling of zero-emission e-fuels.

“Support for maritime decarbonization has grown swiftly in just a short time due to the bold companies that are making their climate ambitions as freight customers clear to maritime carriers, fuel producers, ports, and other value chain actors,” said Ingrid Irigoyen, director of coZEV and the Aspen Shipping Decarbonization Initiative of the Aspen Institute’s Energy and Environment Program. “The global economy’s maritime decarbonization journey is still in its early stages, but such progress in less than a year confirms for us that cargo owners can drive impact quickly when they come together. We are so pleased to welcome these new signatories, all important global brands, and look forward to helping support their leadership in the maritime decarbonization space.”

Healthcare and emissions Free Industry

Robert Metzke, global head of sustainability at Philips, said, “Healthcare systems are responsible for a significant portion of today’s carbon emissions. As a purpose-driven health technology company at Philips, we recognize the threat of climate change and the effects it can have on human health. In 2020, we achieved our goal of becoming 100% carbon-neutral in our operations and sourcing all our electricity from 100% renewable sources. We collaborate with our customers and suppliers to reduce CO2 emissions across our value chain in line with a 1.5°C global warming scenario. We aim to get 50% of our suppliers to commit to science-based targets by 2025. Today, we are thrilled to join like-minded organizations and become a signatory to the coZEV’s 2040 Ambition Statement. Low-carbon ocean freight solutions are critical for sustainable healthcare supply chains.”

For her part, Vanessa Butani, VP of Electrolux Sustainability, stressed, “By joining the coZEV 2040 Ambition Statement, we want to emphasize that we will continue working collaboratively with the industry to achieve zero-emission maritime shipping. coZEV is clearly aligned with our own goal of becoming climate neutral in our operations by 2030 and across our value chain by 2050. Meaningful partnerships with like-minded leaders from every sector who are dedicated to investing in innovative and impactful climate solutions are key to our success.”

REI VP for strategy, planning, and sustainability Kate Wendt shared, “REI is thrilled to join a network of climate-forward leaders who are amplifying the role cargo owners can play in furthering the clean energy transition in maritime shipping. We believe the climate crisis is a direct threat to the future of life and, as a result, our business. We have committed to a science-aligned target of more than half our carbon footprint by 2030 and to be a carbon-neutral organization. In becoming a signatory to coZEV, we are prioritizing our desire to reduce a globally significant source of carbon emissions. We are excited to be a part of this initiative and look forward to accelerating the creation and adoption of carbon-free fuel sources in maritime shipping.”

Meanwhile, Amanda Nusz, senior vice president of corporate responsibility for Target, and president of the Target Foundation, said, “Partnering with coZEV is a natural extension of our work to co-create solutions that deliver growth and positive impact across industries. We are committed to being a net zero enterprise by 2040, with net zero emissions across both our operations and supply chain. Joining coZEV is an important part of accelerating our work to create a more sustainable, circular supply chain that furthers the health of our business and the global community.”

Maritime shipping lagging in GHG reduction effort

As other sectors of the global economy reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enact more sustainable business practices, the maritime shipping sector is at risk of falling behind and increasing its share of global emissions—from 3% today to 10% by 2050. Thus, the increased maritime targets set by corporate customers is critical to ensure the transition to zero-emission fuels. That process begins in earnest by the mid-2020s, achieves scalability by 2030, outcompetes fossil-fuel-powered shipping by 2040, and fully decarbonizes the maritime transport sector by 2050.

“If we are to see a vast global fleet of zero-emission vessels on the waters by 2040, we need accelerated investment in that transition today,” said Irigoyen. “This growing roster of coZEV 2040 signatories that represent a wide range of industries boosts our sense of optimism that we can eliminate the climate impact of even the hardest to abate sectors. But first-mover action in this space isn’t enough. We’re hopeful that global and regional policy action, such as the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act in the United States, the ongoing discussions in the European Union on their Fit For 55 policy, and the upcoming International Maritime Organization meetings, provide concrete policy wins that match cargo owners’ ambition to achieve the clean energy future we all deserve.” (Story and photo courtesy of coZEV)