DNV Maritime CEO urges shipping industry to take more action and move faster in bid to decarbonise
- Published
by Admin
The shipping industry needs to do more and move faster to meet its decarbonisation ambition, says DNV Maritime CEO Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen at the DNV Singapore Energy Transition Conference 2023.
While it was encouraging to see around half of newbuilds in 2023 are for ships capable of running on non-conventional fuels, the reality is that over 90% of the global fleet is still operating on fossil fuels.
According to Ørbeck-Nilssen, shipping leads the world in terms of transporting cargo, connecting markets, and empowering global trade; however, the industry must improve further when it comes to the environment.
“The challenges are not new – we have been talking about them for some time now – but the urgency is accelerating. The clock is ticking louder on efforts to identify, define, and resolve barriers to successful and safe decarbonisation,” he said a keynote address.
Ørbeck-Nilssen noted the best decarbonisation strategy will depend on different factors, such as vessel size and trading patterns.
“Yet pragmatism and a defined pathway for the vessel’s life will be key to avoiding unattractive or stranded assets,” he added.
“We face the reality that carbon-neutral fuels will be expensive and in scarce supply and so we need to also look beyond just fuels and seriously consider how we can use less energy.”
Ørbeck-Nilssen also urged the industry to be open-minded and brave in facing upcoming challenges in maritime decarbonisation.
“We need to show a willingness to explore all options on the table as we face up to what is surely the biggest challenge ever facing our industry,” he said, while emphasising the shipping industry should embrace initiatives such as green shipping corridors.
These corridors bring together key stakeholders across the value chain, to collaborate, test different approaches, and identify and overcome hurdles – with the potential to inspire global action.
Ørbeck-Nilssen, meanwhile, also gave a preview of the latest Maritime Forecast to 2050 report in his keynote speech.
“One of its key focuses is the importance of energy efficiency measures,” he said.
“Energy efficiency is nothing new of course. Adjustments like speed reduction, route optimisation, and hull and propellor cleaning are already proven methods, and these are being steadily improved with the aid of better technology and digitalisation.”
Note: The full video recording of the Singapore Energy Transition Conference 2023 can be viewed here while the full version of the 7th edition of DNV’s Maritime Forecast to 2050 can be downloaded here
Photo credit: DNV
Published: 15 September, 2023
