Shipping industry looking for consensus on sustainable fuels

Global group also calling for levy on maritime greenhouse gas emissions

- CHRISTOPHER REYNOLDS

A container ship passes under the Lions Gate Bridge after leaving Vancouver's port in May 2020. Sustainable fuel options for ships range from methanol and ammonia to hydrogen and nuclear propulsion.

Global shippers convened in Montreal on Thursday to sort out which sustainable fuels their vessels should use — a key question given that boats built today will still be running in 2050.

At the annual International Chamber of Shipping summit, chair Emanuele Grimaldi said different fuel types make sense for different vessels, but that governments, producers and the transport sector need to reach consensus on green energy.

Options range from methanol and ammonia to hydrogen and nuclear propulsion in an industry where currently about 58,000 cargo ships run mainly on “bunker fuel” — heavy fuel oil with even higher sulphur levels than diesel.

The global industry group, which represents over 80 per cent of the world’s merchant fleet, is calling for a levy on maritime greenhouse gas emissions to encourage adoption of renewable fuels.