Amazon, IKEA Form Zero Emissions Maritime Buyers Alliance To Go Green In Shipping
15th, November, 2024
Amazon and IKEA Lead Efforts for Cleaner Ocean Shipping
Amazon, IKEA, and more than 30 other companies are joining forces to make ocean shipping cleaner. These companies want to use green fuels like e-methanol, a type of fuel that produces very few emissions compared to traditional fuels.
The group leading this effort is called the Zero Emissions Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA). Their main goal is to help the maritime industry reach net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. This means they want ships to stop adding extra pollution to the air by then.
New Fuel Contracts to Begin in January
Starting in January, ZEMBA will ask shipping companies to make bids for contracts. These contracts will be for transporting goods using ships that run on green fuels. These new fuels, like e-methanol, are made using renewable electricity and carbon dioxide. Right now, these fuels are not widely available, but they are very important to make ocean shipping more eco-friendly.
ZEMBA’s members, including big names like Amazon and IKEA, are using their buying power to increase demand for these green fuels. They hope that by working together, they can help lower the costs of sustainable fuels over time.
Port of Rotterdam supports ZEMBA initiative with additional incentive for sustainable shipping fuels
Contracts to Begin in 2027
Carl Berger, who is in charge of sustainability for Amazon’s Global Logistics, said that this project is key to reaching their goal of zero emissions. The contracts, set to start in 2027, will last between three to five years. These deals will cover enough goods to fill at least 1.4 million 20-foot containers on routes from Shanghai to Los Angeles.
According to ZEMBA, this project could reduce GHG emissions by about 470,000 metric tons. That’s a big step toward cleaner shipping.
Big Shipping Companies are On Board
Some shipping companies, like Maersk, Evergreen, and Ocean Network Express, have already started using ships that can run on e-methanol. But right now, these green fuels are more expensive. The alliance members expect to pay more at first, hoping the price will go down as more e-fuels are produced.
Ingrid Irigoyen, CEO of ZEMBA, is confident that future global rules will support the use of these cleaner fuels. The International Maritime Organization, which makes rules for ships, is planning to create new regulations in April. These rules might give rewards for using zero-emission fuels and add penalties for fuels that pollute more.
Shipping’s Impact on the Environment
Shipping is a major part of global trade. Over 80% of the goods we use travel by sea, but the shipping industry also contributes to more than 3% of the world’s GHG emissions. This is why efforts to clean up ocean freight are so important.
By using greener fuels and pushing for stricter rules, Amazon, IKEA, and many other companies hope to make shipping less harmful to the environment. This project is one of many steps needed to protect our planet for the future.
