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Will the Carbon Footprint of Shipping Sink Maritime Logistics?

In an increasingly environmentally aware world, going green has become good for business and having an environmentally friendly public profile can now be crucial. Because of the huge amount of fuel that they consume and the size of many shipping lines, maritime industries are now coming under closer scrutiny for the impact that they are having on the environment. In addition, the implementation of a carbon tax in many countries has had shipping companies looking seriously at how they can manage their carbon footprint. Global shipping accounts for 3.3% of CO2 emissions worldwide with 2.7% being contributed by international shipping1. While this may sound like a small amount in comparison to other industries it still represents the equivalent CO2 output of a small country and it is also thought that unless the issue is addressed now that it could eventually grow to as much as five or six times that amount by 2050. Another issue facing the maritime freight industry is one of public perception. Even though transport by ship is the most carbon efficient method for moving freight, mostly due to economies of scale, the ships themselves are known to consume huge amounts of fuel and to produce large… read more »