Shipping’s first major far-reaching moonshot initiative is here. The Getting to Zero coalition has set its eyes on delivering commercially viable zero-emission vessels by 2030. On the podcast this week to explain what the coalition is all about are the Environmental Defense Fund’s Baroness Bryony Worthington and Tristan Smith from the University College London Energy Institute and University Maritime Advisory Services

There is no definitive list of maritime jurisdictions restricting the use of open-loop or hybrid scrubbers, and operators of vessels fitted with them should check with agents or club correspondents in advance of ports calls where there is any doubt on the issue, the Standard Club has warned

It is being argued that if the IMO is the body approving the R&D fund, it should also be the body to decide where the money goes. Another major objection to the current plan is that rather than charging $2 per tonne of fuel oil that each ship consumes, flag states should collect $0.5 from shipping companies for each gross tonne in their fleet as they already do with multiple yearly fees

New revolving credit facility will see Maersk pay lower rates if it meets or exceeds carbon reduction targets

Europe’s four leading carriers have taken the bold step of agreeing to work in collaboration to help decarbonise the shipping sector, while there appears to be a growing acceptance within the industry that new EU rules on limiting emissions are on the way – and sooner than many would prefer.

The shipping industry knows EU rules on emissions are coming. Soon enough, those parts of the industry that think the EU is acting a misguidedly draconian fashion by failing to secure global co-operation will be forced to turn their focus on what those rules will look like

An argument has been put to the IMO that fuel samples used in a recent black carbon study did not represent the very low sulphur fuel oil blends used on the market today. Defenders of the very low sulphur fuel oil blends argue that more data will be needed before rules can be set

A high-profile panel discussion in Brussels highlighted how despite agreement on the overall goal, decision makers and stakeholders have different visions of the future

Jutta Paulus is the politician at the vanguard of arguing the case that the EU ought to step in and regulate emissions, even without any global consensus on such an issue. She is also at the forefront of putting the argument to the shipping industry that it should cough up funding for maritime decarbonisation projects in the EU

NGOs had sought an immediate ban to protect the environment, but Russia opposed it on economic grounds

Maersk, CMA CGM, MSC and Hapag-Lloyd say they cannot go at it alone. They plan to collaborate with each other to push the climate agenda

Between 8,000 and 9,000 installations of ballast water treatment systems are expected this year, with over 11,000 anticipated in 2021

Claes Berglund took over as president of the European Community Shipowners’ Associations last October. His in-tray includes the aftermath of Brexit, concerns about the pace of emissions reduction, and gender equality. The key is to keep talking, he tells Lloyd’s List

We have a climate emergency, we can’t wait for the IMO, claims Jutta Paulus, the European Parliament’s maritime emissions rapporteur. This week’s Podcast catches up with the controversial MEP in Brussels to discuss her sweeping proposal. It would effectively force ships to operate under an emissions cap and trade system, increase their carbon intensity performance and contribute to a European maritime decarbonisation fund. “If you wait for consensus, you’ll never get anywhere,'' she says. ``We need ambitious influencers.”

Germany’s federal maritime co-ordinator wants to establish an EU position with an office that will help co-ordinate related activities in the bloc

CSOA vice-chairman Zhang Shouguo says the advice also factors in the possible shortage of low-sulphur fuel supply amid the impact of the disease