A GREEK shipowner in contrast the shortage of obtainable inexperienced and zero-carbon fuels for shipping to a mom’s lack of ability to breastfeed her child at a maritime convention in Cyprus, underscoring a siege-like mentality now pervading southern Europe’s maritime sector over decarbonisation.
Shipowner Stephanos Angelakos instructed the Cyprus Maritime convention that he, and others, couldn’t transfer their enterprise ahead to turn out to be extra environment friendly and sustainable as a result of he was “ready for mama”.
“We suckle on the bosom of mama. We don’t have any selection,” the chief govt of Angelakos (Hellas) stated, evaluating the provision of marine fuels to moms’ milk.
“It might be inexperienced. It will not be inexperienced. The shipping fleet of at present is constructed [to use] fossil fuels and the issue that we now have to deal with is that not solely does mama not have any inexperienced vitality, mama doesn’t have the bosom to suckle from. We simply have to attend.”
The emotive analogy was one in all many scathing feedback delivered by shipowners about sustainability and decarbonisation in shipping amid heavy criticism of regulators and scientists.
Angelakos, a fifth-generation shipowner, stated on the convention sidelines that his metaphor was not supposed to be tasteless, however to replicate that regulation got here earlier than options.
Others noticed the remarks in English from anyone whose first language was Greek didn’t translate properly.
Though the conflation of bunkering and breastfeeding was to not everyone’s style, there was little doubt many agreed that the size and enormity of present decarbonisation ambitions have been unimaginable and even ridiculous.
Regulation to decrease the carbon footprint of shipping was “simply bullshit” Greek shipowner George Procopiou told delegates on day one to nice applause.
Though some senior figures privately winced at what one described as a gauche and populist stance, Procopiou’s view was broadly endorsed each on stage and off.
“A practical goal is vital in order that we will all have a highway map and might perceive and have a typical goal of the place we wish to go,” stated Semiramis Paliou, chief govt of New York-listed Diana Shipping.
“It is rather vital additionally to have worldwide and harmonised rules with the intention to create a degree enjoying subject in order that we don’t really feel that different individuals are making the most of arbitrage between the nations.”
However she additionally stated that the tradition inside shipowners wanted to vary to raised perceive the targets behind sustainability.
She measured this as leaving the planet a greater place for the kids and grandchildren of these attending.
Others considered sustainability when it comes to burning fewer tonnes of gasoline oil and different fossil fuels on their ships.
Throughout the three-day occasion, lots of the audio system doubled down on their disdain for regulation to realize greenhouse fuel discount targets amid widespread disbelief that zero-carbon or renewable fuels and the maritime know-how to help them would by no means turn out to be obtainable at scale.
There was not adequate shipbuilding capability on the world’s 300 shipyards to construct sufficient ammonia- or methanol-ready ships to satisfy IMO greenhouse fuel discount targets, stated Kenneth Tveter, head of inexperienced transition for Clarksons, the world’s largest shipbroker.
Bandwagon rolling backwards
The inexperienced “bandwagon” was rolling backwards, stated Mark O’Neil, talking as president of InterManager, representing the world’s impartial shipmanagers.
“Is now the time to spend money on all of this transformation?” he requested.
“Or ought to we quite be trying on the vessels we now have… making them extra carbon environment friendly, carbon environment friendly, environmentally pleasant, but additionally hedging our bets for the longer term.”
Safe Bulkers chief govt Polys Hajioannou stated he lately ordered two dual-fuel ships “to keep away from penalties, to not earn cash”.
“The business just isn’t able to reward the early movers, and it could take a variety of years,” he stated.
Emanuele Grimaldi, an Italian shipowner and president of the International Chamber of Shipping, painted an apocalyptic situation ought to there be a mixture of totally different emission buying and selling methods throughout totally different international locations in shipping.
From January 1, emissions from worldwide shipping are integrated into the EU27’s buying and selling scheme, together with targets to cut back greenhouse fuel depth in fuels.
Ought to the regional emissions tax be copied and launched by different jurisdictions “this might be a nightmare. It is a Babylon,” stated Grimaldi.
“We’ve to pay right here. We’ve to pay there. Growing extra all of the taxes.”
The chamber is lobbying the International Maritime Organization to agree a compulsory “fund and reward” levy on marine fuels on a world foundation. However a call isn’t anticipated till 2025, and implementation might be a number of years down the highway after that.
The EU27’s personal carbon pricing and technical emissions measures might be in place for no less than 4 years earlier than that, amid a lot concern among the many Greek and Cypriot maritime sector.
Philippos Philis, president of the European Community Shipowners’ Associations, stated governments within the EU27 weren’t prepared for the large inflow of questions concerning the emissions buying and selling system.
Others argued that the foundations curbed their world competitiveness and risked shedding enterprise to China, which surpassed Greece as the largest shipowning nation for the primary time earlier this yr.
“In spring this yr, the entire business was begging the IMO to please give us a transparent path (to decarbonisation) and inform us what to do,” stated Nikolaus Schües, president of worldwide shipowners’ group BIMCO.
After the “preliminary euphoria” as soon as an up to date world technique on greenhouse fuel emissions agreed on the IMO final July, “the environment has modified” he instructed convention attendees.
Many believed the milestones have been too troublesome, he stated, and an air of better optimism was wanted.
Bitter temper
Optimism was in brief provide in Cyprus, regardless of a rallying cry from Anne Katrine Bjerregaard, from the Maersk Mc-Kinney Møller Middle for Zero Carbon Delivery.
Having 5% to 7% of ships operating on zero-carbon fuels inside a decade was “a serious problem” she acknowledged, and better collaboration was wanted.
“Possibly it’s time to contemplate what totally different client patterns and what regional manufacturing and so forth will imply for us as an business,” she stated.
