Maersk CEO Søren Skou: “With the war in Ukraine, an energy crisis in Europe, high inflation, and a looming global recession there are plenty of dark clouds on the horizon.”
Shipping and logistics large Maersk has voiced its help for the “tougher than IMO” Clean Shipping Act launched earlier this 12 months by Congressman Alan Lowenthal (CA-47), whose district consists of the Port of Long Beach.
If handed, the Clean Shipping Act would amend the Clean Air Act to require the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to:
- Set carbon depth requirements for fuels utilized by ships. The invoice units progressively tighter carbon depth requirements for fuels utilized by ships according to a 1.5° Celsius decarbonization pathway. These requirements would require lifecycle carbon dioxide-equivalent reductions of 20 % from January 1, 2027, 45 % from January 1, 2030, 80 % from January 1, 2035, and one hundred pc from January 1, 2040, relative to the 2024 emissions baseline.
- Set necessities to remove in-port ship emissions by 2030. By January 1, 2030, all ships at-berth or at-anchor in U.S. ports would emit zero GHG emissions and nil air pollutant emissions.
“A.P. Møller-Maersk has worked on the decarbonization of the shipping sector for over a decade and we are committed to be net zero across our business and value chain by 2040 with 100% green solutions for our customers,” stated A.P. Møller-Maersk CEO Soren Skou. “We have also committed for all our new vessels to be capable of sailing on renewable fuels. This led us to order the first 12 large ocean-going container vessels capable of being operated on green methanol, to be delivered in 2024-2025. However, in order to demonstrate and accelerate the transition, clear signals from leading nations such as the U.S. and regions such as the E.U. are needed, even if such measures are inherently regional in their reach.”
“Now is the time for action and we urge the United States Congress to pass this legislation to achieve a 45% decrease on carbon dioxide equivalent reductions by 2030,” A.P. Møller-Maersk’s vice chairman of U.S. authorities relations, Doug Morgante stated. “The most significant challenge is the availability and cost competitiveness of the green fuels necessary to reach our targets. It is fundamental that leading governments, such as the U.S., and industry work together to accomplish long-term solutions.”
“We don’t have to choose between a healthy shipping industry and a healthy climate. I applaud Maersk for taking this stand and acknowledging we are facing a tipping point in the climate crisis,” Congressman Lowenthal stated. “No emissions sources can go overlooked. My Clean Shipping Act is the right policy for the future of our planet, for the health of our communities, and ultimately for the resiliency of goods movement.”
“Shipping emissions are a large and growing source of pollution that worsen climate change and harm air quality in port communities like Los Angeles,” stated the invoice’s cosponsor Congresswoman Nanette Barragán (CA-44), who represents the Port of Los Angeles stated. “We need leadership from the federal government and the private sector to transition as quickly as possible to a zero-emissions shipping industry. Maersk’s support for the Clean Shipping Act is exactly the kind of leadership we need. It shows we can have a thriving port economy without compromising public health or our climate.”
