Environmental Defense Fund, Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center pen partnership deal

Environmental Defense Fund and Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping have signed a partnership agreement formalizing their cooperation on the reduction of emissions from shipping.

The collaboration will evolve around the development of an industry transition strategy, mapping the strategic pathway to zero-carbon shipping in 2050, and the comprehensive policy framework necessary for shipping to meet and exceed its long-term target.

In addition, the collaboration will include activities on the sustainability assessment and life cycle analyses of future fuels and technologies as well as their impact potential and potential constraints.

“Environmental Defense Fund brings more than 50 years of experience and pioneering work for a safer and healthier environment. With deep involvement and insights across sectors, EDF will add a broad societal perspective which will be of essence in the development of a sustainable transition strategy for the maritime industry,” says Bo Cerup-Simonsen, CEO Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping.

“The Center is well placed to support robust policy pathways towards decarbonization and drive the deployment of zero-emissions vessels. Environmental Defense Fund’s work to reduce shipping’s climate impacts can complement the effort in leading the way towards a sustainable, zero-carbon and competitive shipping sector,” says Kelley Kizzier, Vice President for Global Climate at Environmental Defense Fund.

Several industry majors including Total, Alfa Laval, Norden and Haldor Topsoe have joined the center over the past three months.

The center was established in June 2020 by Maersk, ABS, Cargill, MAN Energy Solutions, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, NYK Lines and Siemens Energy.

The initiative is focusing on the development of new fuel types and technologies as the industry charts its path toward achieving the IMO 2050 target.

The first step shipping companies are focusing on in the energy transition process is increasing energy efficiency and optimization of operations. Nevertheless, going beyond energy efficiency means is very difficult to achieve on an individual basis.

 Therefore, the industry has identified collaboration, open dialogue, and identifying synergies as a way to accelerate the transition and tackle the massive task ahead.