Maritime movers push decarbonisation

MARITIME industry players are finding ways to move to a clean energy future, a roundtable in Melbourne has heard.

At a roundtable, co-hosted by Maritime Industry Australia Limited (MIAL) and the Global Maritime Forum (GMF), leaders from across the maritime value chain gathered to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing organisations seeking to progress decarbonisation despite ongoing uncertainty.

MIAL principal advisor for decarbonisation Clare Grandison said the roundtable provided an opportunity for organisations with significant experience to discuss their experiences and share practical lessons with the broader industry.

"During the conversation, three key observations emerged: the importance of maintaining a portfolio of future fuel options, the role of internal organisational champions in maintaining momentum and the need to design decarbonisation strategies around what and where, you do business," Ms Grandison said.

"Uncertainty continues to persist around what the future fuel mix will look like and first movers are recognising the value of keeping their options open with a broader fuel portfolio, rather than putting all their eggs in one basket."

According to organisers, roundtable participants also highlighted that while customer interest in lower-emissions shipping solutions had plateaued, committed leaders and internal champions continued to drive action.

"What surprised me was the important role people within organisations play in keeping momentum going for decarbonisation efforts, particularly when regulatory or customer demand isn’t driving change," Ms Grandison said.

"Similarly, participants reflected that there should not be a singular approach to decarbonisation. Organisations should consider their own business, cargo routes and operating locations to see what approach or fuel type might make sense for them."

Ms Grandison said the important message was to continue finding practical ways forward rather than waiting for every element of the transition to fall into place.

The roundtable also reinforced that maritime decarbonisation could not be tackled by shipping in isolation, with progress requiring support from the broader industrial sector.

"Decarbonisation won’t be achieved by one individual, organisation or even industry," GMF director of decarbonisation Jesse Fahnestock said.

"Continued collaboration across the maritime value chain, industry and government will be critical if we are to turn ambition into practical progress."