Rotterdam, Netherlands (September 14, 2023) — Maersk named its first-ever zero-emissions ocean ship, the Laura Maersk. Just recently, Amazon transported goods on this ship from Shanghai to Rotterdam. 

Amazon also recently finalized a 2023-2024 agreement with Maersk for the transport of 20,000 40-foot equivalent containers using methanol through Maersk’s “ECO Delivery” ocean product offering. This is proof that the technology exists. Amazon’s head of ocean shipping decarbonization, Laura Bowen Wegener said: “This is so exciting because it shows the world that cleaner shipping is possible. Companies like Amazon are willing to pay to move their cargo on vessels that can emit 95% fewer emissions than traditional ships. Innovation wins, communities thrive, and we progress towards a cleaner planet.

However, the Ship It Zero coalition emphasized that while this is a step forward, Amazon’s goal of 10% zero-emissions by 2030 is not nearly ambitious enough given the dire warnings from a new UN climate report signaling that nations have a “rapidly narrowing window” to cut emissions. 

STATEMENT FROM THE SHIP IT ZERO COALITION:

Eric Leveridge, Ship It Zero Lead, Pacific Environment, said: “We are encouraged by Amazon’s shift to methanol-fueled ships and seeing the first shoots of a transition to zero-emissions. We congratulate them on their commitment to the transport of 20,000 40-foot equivalent containers using methanol. However, we are disappointed in their goal of 10% zero-emissions by 2030 which is clearly not enough given the urgency and destruction caused by climate change. We need Amazon to work with Maersk to move their 100% of goods onto cleaner ships this decade and show true climate leadership now.”

SHIPPING INDUSTRY’S POLLUTION PROBLEM

The global shipping industry accounts for 3% of global climate emissions, more than global air travel. If shipping were a country, it would be the world’s sixth largest climate polluter. But since maritime shipping negotiated itself out of the U.N. Paris Agreement, the effort to reduce emissions in the industry has been slower than in other sectors.

Approximately 90% of the world trade is transported by sea, and current business-as-usual scenarios project emissions will grow up to 50% over 2018 levels. While the International Maritime Organization noted increased ship size and operational improvements aimed at creating better fuel efficiency have resulted in a decrease in emissions intensity, annual absolute emissions are still increasing.

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Ship It Zero is a climate and public health campaign to move the world’s largest companies to 100% zero-emissions ocean shipping. It urges companies such as Walmart, Home Depot, Amazon, Target and IKEA — to transition to 100% zero-emissions cargo shipping vessels by 2030. This ​​goal will ensure the shipping industry does its fair share in helping to keep global warming under 1.5 degrees Celsius, the target scientists say is needed to avoid the worst consequences of the climate crisis.

Media Contact:

Gwen Dobbs, Campaign Communications Director, Pacific Environment, gdobbs@pacificenvironment.org