Shipping is Cutting CO2 Emissions

 

In its April Logistics Executive Briefing for Importers and Exporters, Drewry Supply Chain Advisors concludes that “overall, international shipping is playing its part to protect the environment and the measures taken so far by both government and the private sector seem to have been very effective.”

 

Containership CO2 emissions on Asia-North Europe round-voyages have dropped by 35 percent over a five-year period to 2013.

 

Drewry attributes the decline to a corresponding drop in fuel consumption and attributes this to three factors: slow-steaming; the trend towards larger, more fuel-efficient ships; and restrictions placed by government on ships coming into the ports. 

 

Drewry calculates that for the 35 percent drop in CO2 on the Asia-North Europe route, the average ship size on that route increased by 40 percent over the five-year period.

 

Global container trade grows by 4-5% a year, so fuel efficiency gains of 6-8% a year mean that fewer tonnes of CO2 are pumped by containerships into the atmosphere than before. For example, in 2014, Maersk Line carried 7% more containers than the year before and reduced fuel consumption by container shipped by 8% – resulting in a net fall in the amount of fuel consumed and in associated CO2 emissions.

 

Another reason why container shipping lines are reducing pollution from ships is to cut operating costs. Since 2007, Maersk Line has achieved a 25% reduction in CO2 per container. If the carrier had not improved its energy efficiency and CO2 performance, the fuel cost in 2012 would have been USD 1.6 billion higher, according to Drewry. 

 

Similarly, China Shipping Container Lines spent less money on bunkers in 2013 than in 2012, despite shipping 2% more containers.