How the maritime industry is working towards net-zero emissions 

17.09.2026

When you look out across the open ocean, it is easy to forget that global trade relies heavily on the steady hum of marine engines. International shipping carries about 80% of global trade volumes, yet it currently generates roughly three per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. As regulatory winds shift, cleaning up these voyages has become an immediate priority for fleet operators worldwide.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has laid down a clear course to reach net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050, with intermediate checkpoints to slash emissions per transport work by at least 40% by 2030 and striving for 80% by 2040. Meeting these targets requires a complete transformation of maritime operations. The industry is actively navigating this journey by combining cleaner fuels, energy-efficient hulls, modern engine designs, shoreside infrastructure and tight cross-sector collaboration.

Key takeaways

• International shipping carries about 80% of global trade and aims to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by or around 2050.
• Over 98% of the world’s fleet still runs on fossil fuels, driving rapid trials of alternative fuels like methanol, bio-methane, ammonia, hydrogen and wind sails.
• Hydrodynamic hull upgrades, air lubrication bubbles and digital route planning cut fuel burn immediately before any new fuel is bunkered.
• Modern shipyards are focusing on dual-fuel setups and methanol-ready hulls that allow straightforward engine conversions later in a vessel’s life.
• Carriers like Maersk, CMA CGM and Hapag-Lloyd are testing distinct routes, from direct fuel supply deals to drydock methanol retrofits.
• High alternative fuel costs, scarce green feedstocks and long 25-year ship lifespans remain the steepest operational hurdles for the fleet.
• Managerial awareness and trained maritime leaders directly determine how fast shipping companies can successfully adapt to net-zero regulations.

How is the maritime industry working towards net-zero targets?

To steer the shipping industry toward total decarbonisation, shipowners, naval architects, port authorities and fuel producers are joining forces across the maritime supply chain. You can see this shared effort taking hold in the following ways:

1. Switching to alternative marine fuels

Over 98% of the global fleet still runs on fossil fuels, so shipowners are trying out fresh alternatives:

• Methanol: Runs remarkably clean and fits into existing liquid fuel setups.
• Biofuels: Drop right into marine diesel engines without costly overhauls.
• Ammonia: Burns with zero carbon, though crews must manage its toxic punch safely.
• Hydrogen: Powers fuel cells cleanly, but demands valuable cargo space.
• Bio-methane: Slips directly into current gas-powered vessels.
• Wind assist: Mechanical sails visibly catch sea breezes to cut engine strain.

2. Improving vessel energy efficiency

Saving energy at sea immediately cuts emissions and reduces fuel demand. Navigators and naval architects are achieving this through sensible engineering steps:

• Optimising hull forms to slice smoothly through swells with minimal drag.
• Applying specialised low-friction coatings and air lubrication systems to reduce water resistance.
• Fitting high-efficiency propellers, wake ducts and rudder bulbs to capture extra thrust from existing engine power.
• Practising voyage speed optimisation to match port arrival times.
• Using digital vessel tracking systems to avoid stormy weather patterns.

3. Building cleaner ships

Shipyards are actively converting these efficiency targets into physical fleet designs:

• Dual-fuel designs: Modern newbuilds run smoothly on conventional oil or lower-carbon options like methanol.
• Methanol-ready hulls: Shipyards incorporate reserved spaces and pipe runs for straightforward future retrofits.
• Drydock conversions: Targeted engine rebuilds extend commercial asset life while reducing overall fleet emissions.
• Hybrid power: Battery banks and hydrogen fuel cells supply quiet, emissions-free thrust on short-sea routes.

4. Decarbonising ports and infrastructure

Clean vessels cannot operate reliably without dedicated shoreside networks:

• Bunkering facilities: Terminals are building dedicated storage tanks and pipelines for methanol and ammonia.
• Shoreside electricity: Crews are plugging berthed ships directly into city power grids, shutting down rumbling diesel generators.
• Safety frameworks: Harbour teams are adopting harmonised bunkering standards to transfer chilled, toxic fuels safely.
• Green corridors: Major ports are forming regional partnerships to guarantee verified clean fuel supplies.

5. Using regulation to accelerate change

International mandates are actively pulling the whole market into line across every ocean trade route:

• EEXI standards: Surveyors are inspecting older running tonnage to enforce strict energy-efficiency design limits directly on the water.
• CII ratings: Maritime authorities are grading vessels every year, compelling fleet operators to trim operational carbon intensity or adjust their routes.
• IMO net-zero framework: Regulators are crafting global rules that combine mandatory fuel standards with clear greenhouse gas pricing to make clean energy competitive.
• Global alignment: Enforcers are establishing identical international requirements, making sure early green movers are not undercut by cheaper, polluting carriers on open freight rates.

How major maritime companies are working towards net-zero targets

Behind these changing port rules and new fuel standards, major shipping lines are actively testing what works on real voyages. Each company is taking on a specific role to reach net-zero targets.

Maersk: Investing in methanol-powered vessels

The Danish carrier is pursuing a 2040 net-zero target by ordering dual-fuel container vessels that run on green methanol. Starting with its feeder ship Laura Mærsk and expanding to large ocean carriers, the company is actively buying fuel supply deals directly from green fuel producers so that its new vessels have clean methanol to burn.

CMA CGM: Diversifying its fuel mix

Aiming for net zero by 2050, the French line deliberately avoids relying on a single fuel. The company is actively sailing dual-fuel ships capable of taking bio-methane, e-methane and bio-methanol, while also testing rigid wing sails, hydrogen fuel cells and electric equipment at its container terminals.

Hapag-Lloyd: Retrofitting existing vessels

Targeting net-zero fleet operations by 2045, the carrier proves you can decarbonise without waiting 20 years for older tonnage to scrap out. Working with Seaspan Corporation, the line has converted its 10,100 TEU container ship Seaspan Yangtze to run on methanol, kicking off a five-ship drydock retrofit programme.

Synergy Marine Group: Testing different technologies

As a global ship manager, the company runs live sea trials to determine which emerging technologies work in tough ocean swells. Crews are testing wind-assisted rotor sails, marine battery banks and modular fuel cells on working cargo ships to give owners verified operational performance data.

Challenges to achieving maritime industry net-zero goals

Transitioning an entire global shipping fleet is extraordinarily complex and maritime operators are running straight into major commercial, technical and physical bottlenecks:

1. Green fuel scarcity: Certified clean fuels remain rare, forcing commercial ships to compete directly with airlines and land industries for limited renewable supplies.
2. High fuel premiums: Clean bunkers cost up to three times as much as standard fossil fuels, quickly cooling commercial interest among independent ship operators.
3. Slow fleet turnover: Commercial cargo vessels trade reliably for 20 to 25 years, meaning newer green hull designs enter global waters very slowly.
4. Limited bunkering networks: Most port infrastructure remains strictly built around fossil fuels, leaving modern alternative supply lines clustered in only a few major hubs.
5. Safety demands: Highly volatile fuels like ammonia and hydrogen require strict engineering safeguards alongside specialised crew safety certifications.

How can future maritime professionals contribute?

Meeting these severe operational challenges depends entirely on knowledgeable people. Recent research in Ocean Engineering proves that managerial awareness directly fuels the organisational commitment required to prepare shipping companies for real decarbonisation. Solving these bottlenecks demands professionals who understand how to balance strict environmental standards with everyday commercial seamanship.

If you want to build a rewarding maritime career while mastering the demands of sustainable fleet operations, explore MLA College’s BSc (Hons) Sustainable Maritime Operations.

FAQs about how the maritime industry is working towards net zero emissions

Q1. What is net zero in the maritime industry?

Net zero means cutting greenhouse gas emissions from ship operations as close to zero as technically possible, balancing any unavoidable residual emissions through verified environmental measures.

Q2. When does the maritime industry aim to reach net zero?

Under the revised IMO greenhouse gas strategy, international shipping aims to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by or around 2050, supported by interim reduction checkpoints in 2030 and 2040.

Q3. How are shipping companies reducing emissions?

Operators are actively retrofitting existing hulls, installing aerodynamic sails, building dual-fuel engines, optimising voyage speeds and plugging into shore power while berthed.

Q4. Why is maritime decarbonisation difficult?

Transitioning to global shipping is challenging because alternative fuels remain costly, port infrastructure is limited, vessels have long lifespans of up to 25 years and ships need globally coordinated fuel availability to trade freely.

Q5. What can maritime students do to support net zero?

Students can specialise in sustainable fleet management, learn environmental compliance standards, study alternative marine propulsion and master digital vessel efficiency analytics.

Q6. Why study sustainable maritime operations?

Studying sustainable maritime operations equips you with the technical, regulatory and managerial tools shipowners and port authorities need to steer fleets through the green transition.