Expert View - Charlotte Røjgaard In association with Alandia
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days. Engine manufacturers and shipyards are working on the technology and the first ships capable of operating on ammonia are expected to be ready in a 3-4 years’ time. Hydrogen is considered an alternative but primarily for inland waterways. The future will be diverse with many different fuels depending on various factors such as ship type and route, combined with different technological developments to increase efficiency. Alandia: Is there sufficient momentum in decarbonisation efforts given the timeframe we face and where does the pressure come from? Charlotte: There is good momentum. The legislators put pressure on the shipping industry, but it is the consumers that truly add pressure these days. There is an increasing understanding among consumers leading to an increasing demand for sustainable production and transportation of the goods we buy. Large companies such as IKEA and H&M put pressure on their vendors, tightening the timeline. Sustainable transportation is likely to become a competitive parameter. Having said that, scientists warn that the climate is suffering, and global warming moves faster than predicted. Legislators currently discuss carbon taxes/ credits to apply further incentives to make the transition towards decarbonisation. Alandia: How do current global events effect decarbonisation?
“Our way of life has changed over the past few years. The pandemic has taught us that many business meetings can be managed online and that we do not have to be in the office to work efficiently. This results in less road/plane transportation thereby reducing our individual carbon footprint.”
Charlotte Røjgaard, Bureau Veritas’ Marine Fuel Services
Charlotte: Our way of life has changed in the past few years. The pandemic has taught us that many business meetings can be managed online and that we do not have to be in the office to work efficiently. This results in less road/plane transportation thereby reducing our individual carbon footprint. However, with the world beginning to open up again, there is a longing to start going on vacation far from home and the emissions savings may to some extent be offset by increased travel for holidays. There is also the geo-political situation in Ukraine and increasing inflation will impact our daily lives because of rising prices. We live in an interesting time in which things that we took for granted only thee years ago have changed. We all need to change our habits and consumption pattern, taking individual responsibility to assist in decarbonisation efforts. With regards to commodities and manufactured goods, as long as they are located or produced far from where the consumer needs them, we should focus on how to transport them most efficiently thus minimising the carbon footprint per goods. Shipping is the most efficient way to transport goods so the closer we can take the goods by ship to where they are needed, the better the overall carbon picture. The Marine Insurer | June 2022
