Vincent Clerc called on the International Maritime Organization to pass a green fuel regulation proposed by the liner sector after a championship snowboarder named a methanol-fuelled ship on Wednesday.
The AP Moller-Maersk chief executive was in Los Angeles to celebrate the 15,200-teu Alette Maersk (built 2024) in a port call that the company described as the first arrival to the US of a ship powered by green methanol.
The vessel was named in a ceremony at the California port with Chloe Kim, a snowboarder who has won two Olympic gold medals and seven in the X Games, who served as godmother for the container ship.
Kim, who grew up in Long Beach, is sponsored by sports brand Nike, which is striving to make its business more environmentally friendly. She has spoken out about climate change and Clerc said: “Her voice amplifies the urgency of climate action, which resonates with our mission.”
In a post about the ceremony on the social networking platform LinkedIn, Clerc said that to strive for the company’s target of moving 25% of its ocean cargo with low-emissions fuel, systematic change is required.
“We urgently need regulation that makes green fuels viable and affordable,” Clerc wrote.
“Global shipping leaders are united in this call. The time has come for the International Maritime Organization to approve the Green Balance Mechanism to incentivise sustainable shipping without significantly raising global trade costs.”
Proposed by the World Shipping Council, a group made up of container liner companies and car carrier operators, the Green Balance Mechanism would place a global fee on fossil fuels.
The funds collected would then be allocated to green fuels, in an effort to make their cost roughly equal with fossil fuels.
The call comes as the IMO is debating policy tools that would push shipping towards its goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by around 2050, in addition to checkpoints in 2030 and 204
The Alette Maersk is one of seven methanol-fuelled ships that Maersk has on the water, with another 19 remaining on its orderbook.
But TradeWinds reported earlier on Thursday that the Copenhagen-listed company is poised to spend $6.6bn on dual-fuel vessels that can run on LNG.
The move is part of a global trend that has seen LNG regain its dominance as an alternative fuel for shipping, due to improved pricing dynamics and greater availability.
In his LinkedIn post, Clerc highlighted the immensity of the challenge for shipping to play its part in tackling climate change.
“The shipping industry is vast, complex and difficult to decarbonise. Our new series of dual-fuel vessels is a start, but it’s not a sustainable solution,” he said, referring to the methanol-fuelled ships.
“We need immediate, coordinated action across all industries.”
From California, Clerc not only highlighted the role that Nike supply chain head Venkatesh Alagirisamy has played in championing climate responsibility by container shipping’s end users, but he also borrowed the company’s slogan.
“As the iconic Hollywood sign watched over us today, we are reminded this isn’t a dress rehearsal for our planet,” he said. “The clock is ticking. Together, we must Just Do It!”
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