Environmental groups Pacific Environment and Stand.earth have taken aim at 15 of the world’s most prominent retail brands, and demanded they achieve zero-emissions ocean shipping by 2030, contractually agree to ship goods on zero-emission vessels, and rejects claims that liquified natural gas (LNG) is a sustainable means of transporting goods.
Hellenic Shipping News reports that a report from the groups urged the US government to go above and beyond the pledge made in April that requires the ocean freight industry to be emissions-free by 2050, and pollution fines need to be imposed to further fund new low-emissions technologies.
The report, titled ’Shady Ships’, said that given the current booming demand and skyrocketing freight rates in the aftermath of the pandemic, ship lines have little excuse to avoid investments into technologies that will reduce carbon emissions by 30 per cent.
According to the environmentalists, there is a lack of transparency in emissions reporting, and they were only able to verify 20 per cent of the shipments that moved on behalf of the 15 companies listed, including Walmart, Target, and IKEA.
They urged lawmakers and regulators to require companies to disclose all of their shipping affiliations when submitting required import and export data.
The environmental groups said that although IKEA ‘prides itself on being a sustainability leader in international retail,’ its ‘continued use of fossil-fuelled ships fails to meet its own climate standards.’
The report’s stance on LPG has surprised many, as it has been considered the cleanest-burning fossil fuel, and seen by the industry as a safe and affordable way to meet the strict environmental regulations.
The report also called for more slow-steaming operations where vessel operating speeds are slowed to far less than full power to reduce emissions and conserve fuel. It is estimated that CO2 levels would be cut by nearly 20 per cent of all ships would slow steam.
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