Shipping has a plan to go green, but will it work? With Jo Friedmann and Junlin Yu

Let’s Talk Energy and navigate the contentious plan to decarbonize the shipping industry with Rystad Energy clean shipping experts Jo Friedmann and Junlin Yu. Shipping is a vital part of the global economy, with 80-90% of trade traveling by sea. It is also a material source of carbon emissions – 2-3% of the global total – and one of the hardest sectors to electrify. Shipping’s governing body, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has an ambitious plan to incentivize shipowners to hit net zero by 2050, but – as with all such proposals - the details matter. The IMO will meet from 14 October to vote on the plan, but it’s under increasing pressure from the Trump administration, which has threatened an array of tariffs, port duties and even visa restrictions on countries that support it. Will the IMO’s plan, as it’s laid out today, push the shipping industry into a greener future without adding too much cost for owners or consumers? Which fuels could be the winners in the race to provide low-carbon alternatives, and how could shipowners’ choices influence the broader market? Can the proposal overcome US opposition and what happens if it doesn’t?  Further Analysis:Navigating net-zero: Biofuels promise cleaner shipping, but supply is limited  (accessible for non-clients)IMO Net-Zero Framework Condensed Report (accessible for non-clients)IMO Net-Zero Framework Report (clients only)Clean Shipping Report – 2Q 2025 (clients only)Biofuels make for cost-effective options under IMO’s Net-Zero Framework  (clients only)IMO versus FuelEU Maritime: How do the two frameworks compare? (clients only)How will the latest IMO policy impact low carbon fuels? (clients only) Let’s Talk Energy is a Rystad Energy Production.  Produced by: Laura Rodriguez Skaug & Både Og .Executive producers: Noah Brenner, Elliot Busby, Evodie Fleury-Greaker & Erik Means.