Shipping Decarbonisation

The Initial IMO Strategy was adopted in the 72nd session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 72) of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in April 2018. In July 2023, the IMO adopted the Revised Strategy at MEPC 80, setting, among other things, more ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from ships and purporting to express a strong political will to phase them out as soon as possible. The most ambitious of these targets is to achieve Net Zero GHG emissions by or around 2050. This chapter takes stock at the status of shipping decarbonisation and attempts to assess prospects for the future. Obstacles towards achieving the IMO targets are identified and discussed.