The ship.energy podcast

Evelyne analyses the different proposals submitted by different countries ahead of the MEPC 84 meeting, which will mark the first time the committee reconvenes since the extraordinary session, in October 2025, that was expected to formally adopt the first global greenhouse gas (GHG) pricing mechanism for shipping but was instead adjourned for a year. With Pacific Island States and Brazil calling for the existing Net-Zero Framework (NZF) text to progress without substantive alterations, while the United States and a group of petro-states including Saudi Arabia and Russia are opposed to any centrally administered pricing mechanism, she expects the current text to be reopened, and any potential outcome to ‘fall somewhere in the middle.’Evelyne also dissects two ‘middle path’ proposals, one submitted by Liberia, Panama and Argentina and the other by Japan, which would weaken emissions reduction targets and remove the Net-Zero Fund. From a climate perspective, she warns that both options risk under-delivering on the IMO 2023 Strategy’s ambition of reaching net-zero ‘by or around’ 2050.She argues that the outcome of MEPC 84 will largely be dictated by how seriously countries will take pressure from the United States, and whether they will be willing to butt heads with the Trump administration. She emphasises that the war in Iran has given the U.S. ‘considerable’ leverage on countries that depend on its LNG, and expects that some delegations, including the EU, could be less vocal in their defence of the NZF as a result.  While the White House has ramped up the ‘rhetorical volume’, she explains that the country’s opposition to the NZF is not purely ideological and reflects genuine economic concerns. However, she highlights that the longer-term strategic picture goes in the opposite direction, and the U.S. could benefit from the Net-Zero Framework as a leading producer of LNG and biofuels. She also interprets the country articulating its ‘red lines’ as a sign it might remain open to a deal, which she notes is a change from its previous posture during October’s extraordinary session. https://www.energypolicy.columbia.edu/

We take stock of the latest developments in IMO’s work to update seafarer training requirements for the arrival of new fuels and technologies. Podcast highlightsArvind hails the two sets of interim training guidelines for seafarers working on ships using methanol and ammonia as fuel, which were agreed at the IMO’s HTW Sub-Committee in February, as ‘a big step ahead’ and a ‘great achievement.’ He explains why he expects the industry to embrace those guidelines even though they are not mandatory. He also comments on the ongoing revision of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), which sets mandatory standards for seafarer training. He describes progress as ‘slow’ but ‘encouraging’, and outlines how IMO delegates are trying to ensure the new convention will be ‘future-proof’ for the 2040s and 2050s, amid rapid technology developments. A former seafarer and captain himself, he shares his views on what crews need in order to be prepared to safely deal with new fuels and technologies, insisting on the importance of onboard familiarisation and of avoiding overburdening seafarers with additional training requirements. Arvind also describes how alternative fuels training remains fragmented across the industry, with most first movers generally offering their own in-house training. Looking ahead to the wider adoption of new fuels, he acknowledges that questions around who will cover the cost of upskilling thousands of seafarers remain unresolved. 

 We unveil how some e-fuel producers are progressing their projects despite the uncertainty around the fate of a global pricing mechanism for shipping’s GHG emissions. Podcast highlightsIn this episode, Lara explains how the FuelEU Maritime regulation, with its requirements on the GHG intensity of the energy used on ships to ratchet up from 2030, was instrumental in sealing a 10-year binding offtake agreement under which ETFuels will supply e-methanol to shipping company RFOcean. The agreement, she says, demonstrates that the EU regulation, with its clear penalties for non-compliance and incentives for e-fuels, is strong enough to incentivise a fuel switch and make e-fuel production projects viable. She warns that companies that opt to do nothing and end up being hit by penalties are likely to see their fuel costs increase by 55% by 2030. Lara explains that the biggest challenge for ETFuels isn’t offering a mutually agreeable price for its e-methanol, but rather persuading shipping companies to commit to offtake agreements several years before they receive the fuel. While such long-term deals are essential for e-fuel producers to secure financing, she argues that locking in a long-term price for e-fuels is also a good risk management approach for shipping companies, as supplies of compliant fuels will be limited throughout the 2030s.Asked whether shipowners’ appetite for long-term agreements was dampened by the uncertainty around the IMO Net-Zero Framework, she reports that the potential global regulation was never a main driver for early transactions. She reveals that ETFuels currently has terms agreed for over 200% of its first plant’s production capacity and advanced commercial discussions with four additional companies, driven by European regulation. She also reflects on the role of public funding in making the first e-fuel production projects financially viable in the short and medium term, and on the reasons why installations in the United States and Europe can be competitive with countries like China. 

We ask what a sensible approach to decarbonisation can look like with the new Marine Fuels Transition Lead for Soya Group, which partly owns UECC, Wallenius Wilhelmsen and Wallenius Sol. Podcast highlightsDaniel argues that shipping companies should move ahead of regulatory requirements on decarbonisation and start integrating alternative fuels into their operations despite uncertainty around the IMO Net-Zero Framework. He warns that adopting a ‘sit back and wait’ approach risks creating knowledge gaps, which would lead to those companies being outcompeted in the longer term. He makes the case that ‘union is strength’ when it comes to decarbonisation strategies, both in terms of sharing learnings between individual companies and aggregating demand to send stronger demand signals to alternative fuels producers. Daniel also shares some key learnings from UECC’s experience trialling and adopting LNG and biofuels. He emphasises that pilots must be designed to generate ‘repeatable learnings’, as well as the importance of mastering data and certification requirements for the use of renewable fuels to be recognised by regulators. He also explains how the company achieved, five years ahead of time, its ambition of having 40% alternative fuels in its energy mix by 2030.Reflecting on whether using alternative fuels pays off in business terms today, he acknowledges that first movers are not consistently rewarded commercially yet, with the picture depending on whether each company’s customer base is prepared to pay for decarbonised shipping. However, he highlights that the benefits are ‘more strategic than financial’, and insists that being prepared to introduce alternative fuels is a pragmatic decision. 

Shipping companies Ardmore and Stena Bulk discuss how they have navigated the first year of the FuelEU Maritime regulation.Podcast highlightsArdmore’s Chief Operating Officer, Robert Gaina, explains how the company, which operates 25 chemical and product tankers, has decided to comply with FuelEU Maritime by bunkering biofuels on selected voyages.Describing how the new regulation, which sets a limit on the greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity of the energy used on ships, has impacted crews and onshore teams in practice, he argues that the biggest change was not technical, but ‘behavioural’ – as ensuring compliance requires closer collaboration between different teams on voyage planning and bunker procurement. As Ardmore’s fleet is operated primarily on the spot market but also includes vessels on time charters, Robert compares the complexity of ensuring compliance under the two trading models. Asked about the commercial repercussions of the regional regulation, he explains why he doesn’t believe that it has made European companies less competitive, and why he expects the additional costs to eventually be passed down as the market adapts. Stena Bulk’s Sustainability Manager, Filip Feurst, explains why the tanker operator opted for pooling as its main FuelEU compliance strategy, despite having six vessels capable of using methanol as fuel in its fleet of 58 ships. He illustrates how companies that operate the majority of their vessels on the spot market, like Stena Bulk, face additional challenges in planning for their FuelEU Maritime compliance – as a lack of visibility on whether a voyage will call Europe makes it harder for those companies to plan the bunkering and use of alternative fuels. But he explains how the new regulation has nonetheless changed Stena Bulk’s approach to fuel procurement.Filip also relates how the industry has leapt forward on data sharing as owners, operators, and pooling parties need to exchange information to ensure compliance and avoid penalties. Looking ahead, he sees a commercial potential for companies that are able to monetise and trade the compliance surpluses of their dual-fuel vessels, although he notes that the opportunity might be easier to seize for companies on liner trades. 

DNV’s Global Decarbonization Director analyses the main trends from the alternative-fuelled vessel orderbook in 2025, and sheds light on what to expect in 2026.Jason StefanatosJason Stefanatos is Global Decarbonization Director at DNV, a role which he has held since 2023. He joined the classification society 15 years ago, having previously worked in a technical role for the Hellenic Navy and as a research assistant at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA). Jason holds a M. Sc. in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from NTUA.DNV’s Alternative Fuels Insights (AFI) platform gathers data on the development and uptake of alternative fuels and technology, covering both vessels and bunkering infrastructure. The platform has more than 18,000 users across the maritime industry.

Representatives from academia, the bunkering industry and environmental NGOs reflect on some of the positive developments that marked 2025 and share their main wish for 2026. Speakers:Tristan Smith is Professor of Energy and Transport at the UCL Energy Institute, where he leads a research group focused on the global shipping industry. He attends MEPC meetings as a delegate of IMarEST and is a contributing author to work published by the IMO, UNEP, and the UK Committee on Climate Change. He trained and worked as a naval architect before joining the UCL Energy Institute in 2010.  Alexander Prokopakis is Executive Director of IBIA – the International Bunker Industry Association, which represents companies across the marine energy value chain, including traditional and alternative marine fuels suppliers, traders, brokers, shipowners and port authorities. Previously, he worked in the bunkering industry, including as the CEO of PRO Holdings, the founder of the Probunkers project, and the lead of Mamidakis Group’s shipping, bunkering and aviation activities. He holds an MBA from St. John’s University. Sian Prior is Shipping Director at Seas At Risk and Lead Advisor for the Clean Arctic Alliance, which consists of 24 not-for-profit organisations and is focused on protecting the Arctic from the impacts of shipping. She has 30 years of experience in policy development, primarily in the non-government sector, but was also seconded to government positions. She has a B.Sc. in marine biology and oceanography from Bangor University and a PhD in marine ecotoxicology from Queen Mary, University of London. 

Irene Rosberg, Director of the Executive MBA in Shipping and Logistics at the Copenhagen Business School – which is widely known as The Blue MBA – explains why this globally recognised course came into being nearly 25 years ago, how it has evolved by keeping a finger on the pulse of a rapidly changing maritime sector, and what skills ‘fit-for-purpose’ leaders need today to grow and succeed, and, most importantly, to take their companies forward in a highly competitive and quickly evolving market.Over 450 ‘students’ have graduated since the course was launched, and its most recent cohort comprised 48 participants from 25 countries. At its launch nearly a quarter of a century ago, leaders in shipping and related sectors were predominantly male and drawn from the countries that had the largest maritime economies, such as Western Europe, the US and Japan.As Irene explains, today’s Blue MBA requires a mindset that embraces diversity in terms of nationality and gender but the course is laser focused on providing a holistic view of shipping and its connected industries, and one of its strengths is that its students are drawn from a wide range of industry segments, including owners, operators, freight forwarders, ship managers, lawyers and finance professionals. The students learn from their tutors – and also from each other.The MBA also requires its students to have a job in maritime, and this enables them to apply the learning and insights they gain throughout the course to real life challenges and issues within their own companies – education informs practise and vice versa.An executive leader today cannot just be an expert in a niche area, they must be able to read the market, put together forecasts, understand risk management, create strategies, understand ESG obligations and environmental regulations – and also recognise the importance of soft skills, emotional intelligence, human capital and taking a collaborative approach to decision-making.

In this conversation, Paul Hexter lifts the veil on some of the practical challenges that Waterfront Shipping experienced since the first seven methanol dual-fuel vessels joined its fleet in 2016. He emphasises the central role of onboard teams and shipowners in solving technical teething issues around pilot fuel and lubricating oil, and in helping improve the technology from the first to the second and third generations of dual-fuel ships. Today, 19 of the company’s 30 deep-sea tankers are able to use methanol as fuel.Paul reports that the company has run its vessels on conventional methanol and some bio-methanol for over 245,000 hours to date, and that the fleet is currently operated on methanol ‘quite often’ in the current fuel price environment.  He also outlines his vision for the transition to green methanol, revealing that Waterfront Shipping is already using some bio-methanol as fuel to ensure compliance with FuelEU Maritime regulations. While Waterfront Shipping does not currently have more vessels on order, the company aims to stick to methanol dual-fuel technology for future newbuild orders. Asked about trends in the alternative-fuelled orderbook, which show that LNG has overtaken methanol in newbuild orders since the second half of 2024, Paul argues that ‘there is definitely room for multiple alternative fuels in the market,’ and highlights that methanol ‘makes a lot of sense’ as a fuel option, given that it doesn’t need cryogenic treatment and pressurisation and few modifications are needed to existing bunkering infrastructure and processes.He also comments on the IMO member states’ decision to postpone the Net-Zero Framework by a year. While many owners may defer newbuild or retrofit decisions amid the uncertainty, he points out that the industry as a whole remains supportive of a transition towards more sustainable fuels, and believes the delay might give companies a chance to further evaluate their options. 

The CEO of green analytics firm GENA Solutions examines the impact of the one-year delay of the IMO Net-Zero Framework on renewable fuel production projects, and on future ammonia and methanol volumes available for shipping.Podcast highlightsWhile it is still too early to measure the full effect of the IMO Net-Zero Framework postponement, Vitalii explains why he has no doubt that the pipeline of renewable fuel projects will be impacted, with likely cancellations and a slowdown in new projects being launched.  He anticipates that the uncertainty around the adoption of the first GHG pricing mechanism for shipping will make shipping companies more reluctant to sign binding long-term offtake agreements, without which many project promoters will struggle to secure financing and reach a final investment decision. Vitalii notes that renewable methanol projects are likely to be particularly affected, as more than 80% of total global demand for the molecule was expected to come from the shipping sector before the MEPC extraordinary session. He expects a mixed picture, where projects that have already secured offtakers for their future production are likely to continue to progress, while others may require more time to attach financing or attempt to reorient their production to aviation or the chemical industry. Even though FuelEU Maritime will maintain some maritime demand and the Net-Zero Framework could still be adopted next year, he warns that some projects will ‘inevitably’ be cancelled as a result of the delay. He remarks that the scenario is ‘quite opposite’ for renewable ammonia projects, as only about 10% of global consumption in 2030 was expected to come from the maritime sector. While GENA Solutions has revised its projections for the renewable methanol capacity available by 2030, down from 8-14 million tonnes to 6-13 million tonnes, its predictions for ammonia capacity have remained unchanged at 5-10 million tonnes. Vitalii also compares prospects for renewable methanol and ammonia with other alternative fuels, such as bio-LNG and biofuels. He predicts that the delay to the Net-Zero Framework will shrink the market for all renewable fuels, but will disproportionately affect projects that require higher risks and investments, as well as long-term commitments from shipping companies. Finally, he reflects on the countries and regions that will be most affected by a potential slowdown in offtake agreements and rise in project cancellations, and on whether governments should jump in to bridge the gap while the fate of the global IMO regulation remains uncertain. 

In this special episode, we analyse the implications of the IMO Net-Zero Framework postponement with representatives of the shipping industry, Pacific Island States and environmental NGOs who attended the extraordinary MEPC meeting. John Taukave, researcher at the Micronesian Center for Sustainable Transport, describes the outcome of the extraordinary MEPC session, where a majority of IMO member states voted to adjourn the meeting for a year, as ‘very heartbreaking’ and ‘a huge disappointment’ that will bring an additional year of climate impacts for Pacific Island communities.A technical support and advisor for the Vanuatu delegation during the meeting, he describes the pressure, including at the highest level of government, that many countries came under from the United States, which opposed what it described as a carbon tax and threatened possible retaliation against states that would support it. John also looks ahead to the next steps, vowing that Pacific Island States will continue their outreach work and the development of proposals to build support for the adoption of a first global GHG pricing mechanism for international shipping.  Simon Bennett, Deputy Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping, also expresses his disappointment at the outcome of the MEPC session, which he says fails to provide shipowners with the certainty they need to make major investment decisions. Asked to analyse why the IMO Net-Zero Framework went from having the support of a majority of countries in April to a majority voting to postpone it six months later, he emphasises the importance of avoiding ‘blame games’. Although ICS had supported the proposed regulation to ensure a level playing field for the global industry, Simon acknowledges that the agreement’s complexity had caused concern. He argues that ‘a way has to be found’ to account for the reservations expressed by many countries. Simon also reflects on what the outcome of MEPC means for IMO’s role as shipping’s global regulator. He warns that, if member states opt for an ‘explicit’ acceptance procedure, as was suggested by the United States, it risks creating a precedent that would make future regulatory updates more difficult.   Blánaid Sheeran, Policy Officer for Climate Diplomacy at Opportunity Green, insists that the IMO Net-Zero Framework is not dead, but delayed. She highlights that there is now an opportunity for regional and national players, as well as corporations, to take leadership on maritime decarbonisation. While acknowledging that current geopolitics may make it harder to reach global climate agreements in the short term, she points out that politics is ‘ever changing’, whilst ‘climate change is not politics; it is science, and it is facts.’ Asked about the development of implementation guidelines, which began immediately after MEPC, she reports that those discussions have so far been constructive, with member states showing a ‘collaborative spirit.’ She expresses her optimism that a consensus could be found in the next year, before delegates have to adjudicate again on the proposed GHG pricing mechanism for international shipping. 

As countries prepare for a decisive vote on the IMO Net-Zero Framework, the EU Commission expresses confidence that the first global pricing mechanism for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from international shipping will be adopted. Podcast highlightsIn this conversation, the EU Commission’s Director of Waterborne Transport, Fotini Ioannidou, explains why she remains confident that the IMO Net-Zero Framework will be adopted by a ‘large majority’ of member states at an extraordinary session of the organisation’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) in mid-October. While acknowledging that pressure from the United States, which includes possible retaliation against countries that will support the proposed global GHG pricing mechanism, is ‘serious’ and will weigh on countries’ positions, she does not believe it will be sufficient to destroy what she describes as ‘the commitment of the global community to deliver this first-of-its-kind global decarbonisation agreement.’Asked what ‘plan B’ would look like if a majority of countries reject the Framework, she insists that there is ‘no credible alternative’ to the deal and there won’t be an opportunity to negotiate another one. She warns that, should MEPC fail to adopt the global regulation, the consequence would be regulatory fragmentation that would raise administrative burdens and costs for shipping.  Fotini also responds to calls, from the industry, for the EU to align its Emissions Trading System (ETS) and FuelEU Maritime regulations. She assures that the review process for both legislations will start ‘without delay’ as soon as the global framework is adopted to avoid a double regulatory burden for shipping companies. Looking ahead, she also remarks that the next phase of negotiations on the development of guidelines is ‘likely to prove as difficult’ as were the talks that led to the agreement on the Net-Zero Framework itself. She singles out guidelines on rewards for zero or near-zero (ZNZ) fuels as ‘a priority among priorities’, which she says will be critical to provide clarity for investment in new fuels and energy sources. 

Cruise company Carnival Corporation unpacks the learning from its experience spearheading shore power in this new episode of the First Movers series.Podcast highlightsMarcel explains how a combination of geography, available renewable electricity supplies and community support led Carnival Corporation to develop shore power in Juneau, Alaska, back in 2001. Nearly 25 years later, he acknowledges that the use of shore power across the fleet of 90 ships remains relatively small, given that only 33 of the 800 ports where the vessels call (about 4%) currently offer shore power. Nevertheless, he argues that the investment in making vessels capable of using shore power, which runs into the millions per ship, was worth it. While he recognises that shore power does not make sense for all ports due to insufficient grid capacity or a lack of maritime traffic, he argues that the investment would make commercial sense for many more ports. He points to the importance of leadership from port authorities in driving initiatives like shore power, and shares his view on why deployment has been sluggish in the past two decades. Marcel also responds to the wider debate about sustainability in the cruise sector. He points out that by improving energy efficiency, the company has lowered its greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity per passenger by 41% compared to 2008 levels and peaked its total emissions in 2011 despite growing its business by 37%. However, he emphasises that the transition to alternative fuels depends on many factors outside cruise lines’ control, such as the availability of new fuels at an economically viable price. Describing hydrogen and ammonia as currently unrealistic for the sector, he explains why the company has opted for the LNG pathway, with 10 LNG-capable ships in its fleet and 8 more expected to be delivered by 2033. Finally, he reflects on how Carnival Corporation’s experience with shore power development revealed the importance of a long-term vision and collaboration to achieve progress on decarbonisation.

In this episode, we examine the potential of ammonia to take off as a marine fuel, by considering trends on both the production and demand sides. Although numbers of ammonia-fuelled vessels are lower at present than LNG or methanol, Sofia sees clear signs in the global orderbooks that ammonia is gaining momentum as a marine fuel. She believes that the market is likely to first emerge among ammonia carriers, and in regions where infrastructure is already being developed for receiving ammonia as an energy vector, including Japan and parts of Europe. With future low-carbon ammonia production expected to reach nearly 50 million tonnes by 2030, she highlights that the bulk of that production isn’t earmarked for the maritime sector. Instead, she notes that the lion’s share of investments is for projects using ammonia for energy production and to decarbonise land-based industries. Sofia urges shipping companies to get involved where potential ammonia production, infrastructure and import ecosystems are already emerging, by joining clusters to co-invest and share risk with other industries.While she is confident that technology developments will meet the challenge of ensuring safe, leak-proof ammonia fuel and bunkering systems, she argues that the bunkering industry needs to step up to ensure operational readiness for ammonia bunkering. She also insists on the importance of developing robust protocols for verifying and certifying the lifecycle carbon footprint of different ammonia production sources.Finally, she explains why the adoption of the IMO Net-Zero Framework, which is scheduled to take place in October, will be essential for the development of a market for ammonia as a marine fuel. 

The Executive Director of the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association, Helene Tofte, unpacks some of the main reasons why the country seems to have a head start on the energy transition – from the impact of ownership structures on individual companies’ willingness to invest for the long term, to the presence of industry clusters to foster collaboration on new technologies. Data from the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association shows that 90% of its members have invested in emissions reduction technologies, including battery and hybrid systems, wind propulsion, and shore power. Moreover, about 15% of vessels owned by the Association’s members today are powered by alternative fuels, compared to 2% of the global fleet. The orderbook reveals a similar trend, with 72% of newbuilds on order from Norwegian owners set to run on alternative fuels, compared to the global average of 27%. Helene explains how Norwegian shipowners make business cases work for those investments in new fuels or technologies, and whether those decisions are already paying off in commercial terms. She also lifts the veil on the challenges faced by the country’s shipowners. While the level of state support for decarbonisation makes Norway the envy of other owners elsewhere in the world, she argues that there is a need to ensure that enough funding is allocated for energy efficiency measures, and not solely for cutting-edge net-zero projects. Finally, she reflects on the importance of the IMO adopting its Net-Zero Framework in October, but also of the EU harmonising its regulation, to create a level playing field globally. About the Norwegian Shipowners’ AssociationThe Norwegian Shipowners’ Association (Norges Rederiforbund) is a trade and employment organisation representing Norwegian-controlled companies in the shipping and offshore industry.The Association has 128 members, which control a 450-strong offshore fleet, including wind- and subsea vessels, as well as 240 ships on short-sea routes and over 700 vessels in the deep-sea segment. In addition, 50 mobile offshore units are part of its member fleet. 

In this episode, GCMD’s CEO Prof. Lynn Loo unpacks the learnings from two landmark pilots: ship-to-ship ammonia transfers in the Pilbara and a demonstration of an end-to-end value chain for onboard captured CO₂ in China.She describes how safety risks, including toxicity, were managed during the first ship-to-ship transfer of liquid ammonia between two gas carriers, which was carried out in Western Australia. She also shares technical and operational insights from the pilot, which aims to provide guidelines for other ports to conduct trials and ultimately strengthen their confidence to develop ammonia bunkering capabilities.Asked for her views on how and when this might unfold, she explains why she sees large bulk carriers on the iron ore corridor between Western Australia and Northern Asia as probable frontrunners – and why containerships are unlikely to be first movers on ammonia as a marine fuel even though they have been first movers on other fuels and decarbonisation measures. Lynn then discusses the results from another pilot that saw 25 metric tonnes of liquefied CO2 that had been captured on a ship being offloaded, transported, and used as feedstock in the production of low-carbon calcium carbonate. Demonstrating this possible end use for captured CO2 was a major first step, she highlights, adding that the next trials will focus on lifecycle assessments and solving some technical challenges. She also emphasises the importance of building trust in existing decarbonisation options, such as biofuels and energy efficiency technologies, to accelerate their uptake by the shipping industry. She outlines how GCMD is currently working on projects to improve biofuel traceability and validate the fuel savings delivered by energy efficiency technologies. Finally, she reflects on how the financial, operational, technical, and safety risks of the energy transition can be managed through a cross-sector collaborative approach. 

In this episode, BV’s maritime head details why he believes that shipping needs ‘radical ideas’ to achieve its decarbonisation targets. Speaking after the publication of his second book, titled Toward a sustainable blue economy, in which he calls for ‘a revolution in how we finance, fuel and operate the global fleet’, Matthieu de Tugny outlines what this looks like in practice. He offers some avenues to reinvent the current economics behind investment and funding decisions in shipping, which are generally geared towards proven technology – often conventional fossil fuels – and tend to incentivise shipowners to ‘sit back and wait’.Describing green financing as a ‘structural enabler’ of decarbonisation, he shares his views on the impact of initiatives such as the Poseidon Principles and the Sea Cargo Charter, and explains what more can be done by regulators to give a competitive advantage to first movers and bring more certainty on broader infrastructure and supply chain investments. Matthieu de Tugny also shares his advice for owners of smaller fleets or vessels operated on tramp trades. Whilst acknowledging that those companies are unlikely to become early adopters of new fuels such as ammonia or methanol, he emphasised the importance of incremental progress delivered by efficiency improvements or transition fuels such as biofuels.He reflects on how classification societies are set to be transformed by shipping’s decarbonisation transition, helping mitigate risk around new fuels and technologies and taking on a more advisory role. Finally, he shares his views on the potential applications of artificial intelligence (AI) to optimise the performance and maintenance of fleets, and explains why he believes that training could be the most important challenge for the industry going forward. 

In this episode, we meet the new CEO of the Methanol Institute to hear his gameplan for the development of methanol as a marine fuel.Alexander Döll explains why he is confident that renewable methanol production will be able to meet shipping’s demand. With 240 projects for blue, bio- or e-methanol currently under development, he expects ‘real volumes’ to be available by 2027 or 2028.He discusses the role of China as a first mover, representing 88% of renewable methanol production today, and outlines how he anticipates production and bunkering infrastructure to scale up in more shipping hubs in the short, medium and long term.He also reacts to the latest figures in the global orderbook for alternative-fuelled ships, which showed LNG overtaking methanol from mid-2024, arguing that methanol isn’t losing momentum as a marine fuel option.He reports ‘genuinely encouraging’ results from the practical experience of bunkering, crew training and using methanol as fuel on ships since the entry into service of Ane Maersk in early 2024. He also addresses reports from Maersk of maintenance problems with their methanol dual-fuel engines, which he says were ‘completely expected’ at this stage, and reveals that a solution has been found by the engine manufacturer.Reflecting on the energy transition more broadly, he emphasises that a multi-fuel approach will be needed, and explains why he believes that shipping should stop thinking of the transition as a race or a competition between fuels.

In this episode, we meet students, tutors and managers at the South Devon College Marine Academy to discuss how maritime training is evolving amid shipping’s digital and energy transitions. The Academy, on the banks of the River Dart, in South West England, trains between 70 and 100 students and apprentices each year in its maritime programmes. Join our Senior Editor Ariane Morrissey as she accompanies a group of Maritime Studies pupils on a sea outing on the last day of their year-long programme, in June 2025. We meet Emma Eggleton and Harry Clayton, both 17, who share their thoughts on the profound changes that the maritime industry will experience during their future careers at sea – and why they feel up to the challenge. During our visit, learning support technician Shaun Cuming and lecturer Rebecca Sanders explain how they have already started adapting their teaching to prepare their students for the new fuels and technologies that they are likely to encounter on ships.Finally, Paul Singer, business and qualification development coordinator at the Academy, reflects on the challenges that the energy transition is bringing for maritime training institutions, including that of developing new course content, training its own teaching staff, and finding funding for new equipment for its workshops. He argues that the transition can open up new opportunities, as the industry is already manifesting its demand for training courses to upskill its workforce, and demand for trained maritime workers will grow from emerging sectors such as offshore wind. 

With shipping’s energy transition calling for huge investments in new ships, fuels, technologies and supply chains, Enova’s Rune Holmen discusses how governments can best support – and fund – maritime decarbonisation. Owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and the Environment, Enova’s mandate is to allocate funds to projects that will help the country reach net-zero by 2050. It manages an annual budget of around $1 billion. A substantial part of this is allocated to maritime decarbonisation initiatives, ranging from battery installations to carbon capture, fuel production, and ships capable of using hydrogen or ammonia as fuel. In this conversation, Rune reflects on the results delivered by the funds, which have supported more than 900 maritime projects in the past 10 years. He recalls how one of the first projects – charging stations for Norway’s first fully-electric ferries – was initially dismissed by many as ‘science-fiction’, but ultimately helped build the battery value chain in the country, leading to about 45 battery-powered ferries hitting the water since. Today, such electrification projects often materialise without any public funding as they have become financially viable on their own, which he emphasises is Enova’s end goal.Rune describes how Enova is now attempting to replicate this success with ammonia and hydrogen, with funds being allocated for production and bunkering sites at the same time as investments in ships using those fuels. He insists that a ‘whole supply chain’ approach is essential, but explains why directly financing fuel purchases to cover the cost gap between renewable and fossil fuels isn’t the best option in his view. With public finances around the world feeling the squeeze and many competing demands for funding, he explains how Enova selects the projects it supports – and why it will no longer fund projects to fit wind propulsion or energy efficiency on newbuild vessels powered by LNG or fossil fuels, as those would reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions but fail to reach net-zero by 2050. Asked what lessons Enova’s experience can reveal for other countries that don’t have the same level of resources as Norway, he highlighted that even relatively small investments can make a big difference, if targeted wisely. Among his top tips: ‘think systematically and accept that this takes time’.  

In this sixth episode of the First Movers series, Odfjell’s Erik Hjortland discusses the results and lessons learned from the installation of more than 140 energy efficiency technologies across the company’s fleet of 71 chemical tankers. The Norwegian owner and operator first embarked on an energy efficiency programme in 2007, using enhanced data collection to drive operational improvements, before rolling out a retrofitting programme to upgrade rudder systems, propellers and main engines across its fleet from 2015. In this conversation, Erik comments on the results achieved by the programme, which has improved the energy efficiency of Odfjell’s managed fleet by 53% compared to a 2008 baseline. He also sheds light on the company’s approach to selecting what technologies to install on its vessels, and shares his insights into which ones have delivered the best return on investment in real-life operations.He argues that the business case for energy efficiency is clear, revealing that Odfjell has invested $40 million in energy efficiency technologies since 2014, which led to $108 million in savings in the past five years. Erik also explains why Odfjell decided to move one step further with the installation of suction sails on the Bow Olympus, and the completion of a near carbon neutral transatlantic voyage which combined wind propulsion and biofuels. He calls on the industry to do more to harness the emissions reduction potential of existing technologies.*** First Movers puts the spotlight on maritime companies that that were among the first to trial and adopt new fuels or technologies. The series goes beyond initial big announcements and headlines, and asks what happens in the months and years that follow. It aims to unpack the practical challenges that first movers experience, and implementing new fuels or technologies have transformed their operations and business.  Listen to the previous episodes in the First Movers series: Episode 01: Rasmus Nielsen, Naval Architect / Officer at Scandlines, one of the first companies to install rotor sails on their shipsEpisode 02: Andrew Hoare, Group Manager of Green Shipping at Fortescue, which pioneered the world’s first ship to use ammonia as fuelEpisode 03: Jordan Pechie, President of Seaspan Marine Transportation, about the deployment of fully-electric tugboats in their fleetEpisode 04: Femke Brenninkmeijer, CEO of NPRC, which spearheaded the world’s first newbuild inland vessel that can use hydrogen as a fuelEpisode 05: Henrik Røjel, Head of Decarbonisation & Climate Solutions at Norden, which became one of the first companies to trial 100% biofuels on a large ocean-going vessel

In this edition of the ship.energy podcast, Lesley Bankes-Hughes talks to a very well-known and proactive leader in the maritime industry, Pia Meling.Pia has had an extensive career in shipping and the imperatives of sustainability and decarbonisation have informed and underpinned her job choices, including working on good practice in ship recycling and on zero emission, autonomous shipping.In March this year, she left Grieg Green where she was Managing Director, and she is now leading the team at EVIGO, the green services offshoot of the ship management company, OSM Thome.One of the largest global ship managers, OSM Thome handles the operations and crewing of around 1,000 vessels across a range of segments, and when it launched its EVIGO division in late 2024 one of its mission statements was ‘to tackle environmental targets head-on’.In this podcast, Pia discusses the business culture and values she is looking to inculcate in this new venture and also explains why she decided to take the job is its MD.She explores a changing relationship between shipowner and ship manager in the context of shipping’s decarbonisation, the challenges as well as the positives of stakeholder collaboration, the GHG emission reduction options available to the existing global fleet, fuel ‘demand signals’, and the importance of training the maritime workforce to be able to deliver the energy transition onboard and landside.She also offers her ‘take’ on EU regulation and the outcomes of IMO MEPC 83, as well her views on what leadership should be as shipping navigates its course through one of the biggest changes in its history.

As the dust begins to settle on the landmark approval of the first global greenhouse gas (GHG) pricing mechanism for international shipping, the IMO Secretary-General considers the road ahead, and urges the industry to not delay action on decarbonisation. In this conversation, Arsenio Dominguez reflects on the eventful MEPC 83 meeting that led to IMO member states approving a ‘compromise’ text comprising mandatory requirements for the GHG intensity of the energy used by ships, with penalties for non-compliant vessels based on a tiered system. He responds to criticisms that the new IMO Net-Zero Framework is unlikely to achieve the IMO’s own GHG emissions reductions targets, insisting that the organisation remains on track to meet its ambition of reaching net-zero ‘by or around’ 2050. Although the approval required a vote, a rare occurrence at the IMO which generally makes decisions by consensus, the Secretary-General describes the agreement as ‘an immense achievement’ and is adamant that the measure will be formally adopted in October as scheduled. Asked what his priorities will be in the lead-up to that extraordinary MEPC session, he outlines how he will attempt to address the concerns of member states that opposed the measure in April – and explains what will be his approach to the United States, which did not attend the discussions in London, instead sending a letter to oppose the measure and threaten retaliatory action against any fees. Arsenio Dominguez calls on ship owners, operators and fuel producers to take action, laying out a timeline for when much-anticipated guidelines will be available ahead of the planned entry into force of the new pricing mechanism in 2027.https://www.imo.org/

In this episode, we find out more about the results of the first commercial deployment of Blue Visby, which aims to end the practice of ‘sail fast then wait’ and thereby reduce shipping’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Led by CBH Group, a Western Australian co-operative of grain growers, the first few months of operations saw emissions avoided of about 15%, which is consistent with results from earlier prototype trials, and what was modelled by digital twin pilots before that.Blue Visby achieved those emissions savings by giving each ship’s captains an optimal time of arrival that keeps their place in the queue and allows them to slow down, reducing their fuel consumption, and arrive when their berth is ready. In this conversation, the coordinator of Blue Visby, Haris Zografakis, reflects on whether similar emissions savings could be replicated elsewhere.He discusses the scaling up potential of Blue Visby, and the consortium’s plans to deploy the system in more commercial settings, including the Panama Canal and the ports of Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, and Newcastle, in Australia. He insists on the importance for any decarbonisation solution to be ‘commercially palatable’ to enable their uptake by the industry. He explains how Blue Visby’s contractual arrangements aim to neutralise ‘split incentives’ by which some parties benefit financially from ‘sail fast then wait’ (SFTW) because they can claim demurrage. Nearly three years after the Blue Visby consortium was launched, Haris estimates that there has been progress in industry awareness and willingness to accept new ways of working – and he believes that shipping’s decarbonisation transition will only increase the urgency to solve SFTW. 

In this special episode, representatives from Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and the bunkering industry lay out their hopes and expectations ahead of the IMO’s MEPC 83 meeting, which is set to approve potentially ‘game-changing’ measures for shipping’s energy transition. Ambassador Albon Ishoda, Marshall Islands’ Special Envoy for Maritime Decarbonisation, and Edmund Hughes, IBIA’s Representative to the IMO, concur in calling for Member States to agree a strong economic measure or greenhouse gas levy when they meet in London. They highlight the ‘vast’ needs to both fund shipping’s energy transition and build climate resilience in developing countries. Ambassador Ishoda explains why a GHG levy – something that Pacific and Caribbean SIDS have been demanding for years – is one of the most important elements that he wants to see in the final agreement. He also argues that the price of this levy must be ‘high enough’ so that in addition to incentivising new fuels and technologies, revenues can also be used to support developing countries that are experiencing first-hand the impacts of climate change. IBIA’s Edmund Hughes also backs the proposal of a fund supported by a levy or anothersimilar maritime GHG pricing mechanism. He believes this has the potential to be a game-changer, by providing the clear demand signals needed by the industry to invest in the production and bunkering of low- and zero-carbon fuels for shipping.Both guests share their thoughts on whether an agreement can be reached at MEPC 83, despite fundamental differences in opinions between countries and amid changing geopolitics. Although the GHG levy proposal has gained momentum and is now backed by more than 50 countries, it is opposed by others who cite concerns about potential impacts of a levy on economies, shipping prices, and food security. Hughes and Ishoda also give their views on what will come after MEPC 83: how the industry and financiers might respond to an economic measure, and how a potential IMO Fund could help build climate resilience in developing countries. 

In this fifth episode of the First Movers series, Ariane Morrissey is joined by Henrik Røjel, Head of Decarbonisation and Climate Solutions at Norden, to discuss how their business and operations were transformed since the company became one of the first to trial 100% biofuels on a large ocean-going vessel in 2018.  First Movers features maritime companies that were among the first to trial and adopt new fuels or technologies. The series goes beyond initial big announcements and headlines, and asks what happens in the months and years that follow. It aims to unpack the practical challenges, and opportunities, that first movers experience as new fuels and technologies become part of their operations.In this conversation, Henrik reveals why he believes that being an early biofuel adopter helped Norden develop a competitive edge. Even though there was hardly any demand for green shipping from cargo owners at the time of the first trials, the move helped the Danish operator and its crews build knowledge and experience around the fuel.Henrik describes how biofuels have since become part of Norden’s day-to-day operations, leading to the development of a ‘book-and-claim’ service that enabled the company to obtain high-profile deals with BHP and Meta to help decarbonise their supply chains. Asked about the challenges of limited feedstocks, he explains why it ‘made a lot of sense’ for Norden to acquire a minority stake in the biofuel producer MASH Makes to secure access to sustainable biofuels at a competitive price.Henrik notes that the business case for decarbonisation measures is evolving quickly amid new regulation, describing FuelEU Maritime as a ‘game changer’ for biofuel use in shipping. He also reflects on the challenges of transitioning to future fuels, such as ammonia or methanol, for companies like Norden, which operate bulk carriers and tankers primarily on the spot market.  Listen to the previous episodes in the First Movers series: Episode 01: Rasmus Nielsen, Naval Architect / Officer at Scandlines, one of the first companies to install rotor sails on their shipsEpisode 02: Andrew Hoare, Group Manager of Green Shipping at Fortescue, which pioneered the world’s first ship to use ammonia as fuelEpisode 03: Jordan Pechie, President of Seaspan Marine Transportation, about the deployment of fully-electric tugboats in their fleetEpisode 04: Femke Brenninkmeijer, CEO of NPRC, which spearheaded the world’s first newbuild inland vessel that can use hydrogen as a fuel

AYK Energy’s Chris Kruger is known as one of the founders of marine battery technology, having worked first in the electric car industry before moving to marine. He developed the battery for the first hybrid propulsion ferry, Princess Benedikte, and the first fully electric ferry, Ampere, in 2012.A native South African now based in Andorra, he established AYK Energy in 2018, building its first factory in 2023 China to be close to the centre of the battery industry supply chain, which he says is 10 years ahead of Europe.In this conversation, Chris draws on his long experience in the battery industry to explain some of the operational challenges associated with using the technology in a harsh maritime environment. He also gives an overview of AYK’s recent and ongoing projects, including a ground-breaking contract with Frances’ Brittany Ferries.He addresses safety concerns in using batteries onboard ships and he explains why he supports the use of lithium iron phosphate batteries in this operational environment. He also looks at what might be on the horizon for batteries as the technology advances.Achieving commercial viability is also the name of the game for technology companies – whether they be mature businesses or start-ups – and Chris offers some key insights into the processes and challenges of setting up manufacturing operations overseas and moving from concept to production.With his deep knowledge of the battery sector, he also has some interesting perspectives on how the industry is evolving, the business climate for new entrants, and whether some market consolidation may be on the cards.For more information, go to www.aykenergy.com

The new edition of the ship.energy podcast features Ingrid Irigoyen, Senior Director, Ocean and Climate at the Washington-headquartered Aspen Institute’s Energy and Environment Program, who is also President and CEO of the Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA), and Dr Charlie McKinlay, who is the Fuels and Technologies Lead at LR’s Maritime Decarbonisation Hub.The podcast is released to coincide with the launch of ZEMBA’s second tender to shipowners which will focus on 3–5-year off take contracts for e-fuel-powered container shipping, starting in 2027.A key focus of ZEMBA’s work is to make advanced market commitments for innovative fuels and technologies.ZEMBA’s inaugural fuel tender to shipowners was completed in April 2024. Hapag-Lloyd was the winner, and it has been supplying ZEMBA members with bio-LNG.Ahead of its new tender, ZEMBA drew on the expertise of Lloyd’s Register’s Maritime Decarbonisation Hub to send out a request for information to assess the market readiness of e-fuels for commercial deployment in the shipping sector from a 2027 starting point.In the maritime sector, we are hearing a lot about the need for fuel demand signals to catalyse shipping’s energy transition. New or alternative marine fuels – and particularly the very low and zero carbon variants – are expensive to produce, and we are starting from a low base in terms of their scalability and geographical availability.In this podcast, Ingrid and Charlie look at the low and zero carbon fuel demand and supply conundrum, offer their perspectives on how industry collaboration is working in practice to address this, and discuss the latest ZEMBA tender process in detail.Ingrid Irigoyen is the Senior Director, Ocean and Climate, for the Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Program (EEP), where she leads EEP’s work at the ocean-climate nexus and serves as a strategic advisor and facilitator for multi-stakeholder initiatives seeking to address climate, ocean, and coastal challenges. She also serves as the President and CEO of the Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA), a non-profit organization and first-of-its-kind buyers group within the maritime sector with the mission to accelerate commercial deployment of clean energy powered shipping, enable economies of scale for new solutions, and support cargo owner engagement in maritime clean energy policy.  Prior to joining Aspen in 2018, she was a Senior Mediator and Program Manager at Meridian Institute, where she devoted 13 years to the design and execution of collaborative multi-stakeholder sustainability solutions, with a special focus on oceans and coasts. Prior to this, among other positions, Ingrid was a John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellow with the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. She holds a Masters of Environmental Management from the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from the University of New Hampshire.  More information about the work and membership of ZEMBA can be found at its website: Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance – ZEMBADr. Charlie McKinlay is a researcher in the field of maritime decarbonisation and is the Fuels and Technologies Lead at the Lloyd Register’s (LR) Maritime Decarbonisation Hub, where he one of the key team leads for The Silk Alliance Green Corridor Cluster initiative for shipping focused on bunkering alternative fuels in Singapore.Charlie’s professional research expertise focuses on clean maritime fuels, encompassing the whole value chain, from sustainable and scalable supply chains to efficient onboard deployment.Charlie holds a PhD in Dynamic Energy System Modelling from the University of Southampton, where he researched into transition technologies for viable zero emissions shipping solutions, such as fuel cells, energy saving technologies, and smart energy management.The Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub is an independent, not-for-profit social purpose organisation, working towards our vision of a safe, sustainable, and human-centric decarbonised shipping industry for the benefit of society.Formed in 2020 with a grant from Lloyd’s Register Foundation, and in partnership with Lloyd’s Register Group, we are an evidence-led research and action unit. Our team of specialists in economics, fuels, risk & safety engineering, human factors, and analytics deliver research, insights, and implementation pathways to future fuels across the maritime supply chain.For more information, go to www.maritimedecarbonisationhub.org.  

The First Movers series puts the spotlight on maritime companies that were among the first to trial and adopt new fuels and technologies. But rather than focusing on initial big announcements and headlines, this series asks what happens in the months and years that follow. It aims to unpack the practical challenges, tangible results, and new opportunities experienced by shipping’s first movers as new fuels and technologies become part of their operations. In this fourth episode of First Movers, Ariane Morrissey is joined by Femke Brenninkmeijer, CEO of NPRC, a Dutch cooperative of barge owners. The company pioneered Antonie, the world’s first newbuild inland vessel that can use hydrogen as a fuel.In this conversation, Femke reflects on the key learnings from the project, which was launched with a vision for the 135-metre-long inland ship, which transports salt for Nobian from its production site of Delfzijl to Rotterdam, to be fuelled by green hydrogen that is created as a by-product of salt production.While Antonie officially started operations in late 2023, it has not been able to use hydrogen as a fuel yet – due to delays in some certifications, engineering, and deliveries of hydrogen containers. Despite those setbacks, Femke is confident that the vessel will sail on hydrogen in the coming months, and the company is already working on two more projects for hydrogen-fuelled ships. She recognised that being a first mover comes at a price, but she believes it is worth it for the learnings gained – not only in terms of technical and engineering expertise, but in shedding light on the importance of solid partnerships to go through the inevitable ‘ups and downs’ of spearheading innovation. Listen to the previous episodes in the First Movers series: Episode 01: Rasmus Nielsen, Naval Architect / Officer, ScandlinesEpisode 02: Andrew Hoare, Group Manager of Green Shipping at FortescueEpisode 03: Jordan Pechie, President, Seaspan Marine Transportation

Could compliance with FuelEU Maritime be as simple for shipowners as it is for consumers signing an electricity supply contract? This is what Risto-Juhani Kariranta, CEO of Ahti Pool, argues in this week’s episode. Finland-based Ahti Pool currently brings together about 250 vessels from a number of different companies. It enables owners of ‘under-compliant’ ships, or those that fall below the GHG intensity reduction targets set out by FuelEU Maritime, to tap into the ‘compliance surpluses’ of dual-fuel vessels in the pool, by compensating them for their use of green methanol or bio-LNG. The concept works, Risto says, because both parties are set to benefit financially.In this conversation, he discusses some of the practical challenges of compliance pooling, from constant monitoring to developing contractual arrangements, and explains why he believes it will genuinely help accelerate investment in renewable and low-carbon fuels.

The ship.energy podcast gets into its stride in the New Year with a conversation between ship.energy’s Tom Barlow-Brown and Cameron Mitchell, Director of the Isle of Man Ship Registry (IoMSR).At the celebration of its 40th anniversary last September, the Registry emphasised its proactive stance on decarbonisation and crew welfare, and in this wide-ranging discussion Mitchell talks about the IoMSR’s consultancy work on decarbonisation, including a recent partnership with Berge Bulk. He also shares insights on how the Registry’s sustainability goals align with global and national energy and maritime strategies.Mitchell looks at all the energy options on the table – including nuclear down the line – and as technical innovation and digitalisation/AI initiatives gather pace, he emphasises that a strong regulatory framework is essential to underpin and facilitate the direction of travel in shipping’s energy transition. Implementing effective and comprehensive crew training on new marine fuels will also be critical in delivering shipping’s decarbonisation safely and competently.Mitchell takes a pragmatic approach to the industry’s decarbonisation – be focussed on ‘the art of the possible’ – but he also calls on industry and the regulators to keep the momentum going – it’s imperative to for all stakeholders to keep moving forward.Cameron Mitchell is a qualified Marine Engineer who has worked for Geest Line, Maersk and Farstad. He moved to the Isle of Man in 2001 and joined the Ship Registry in 2003, becoming Director in 2019.He has a Diploma in the surveying of ships and yachts and more recently he has completed the Isle of Man Government's Senior Leadership Development Programme.

The First Movers series puts the spotlight on maritime companies that have been among the first to take the plunge on decarbonisation by trialling and adopting alternative fuels or green technologies. This series goes beyond the initial and optimistic big announcements and headlines and asks what happens in the months and years that follow. It aims to unpick the tangible results achieved and the practical challenges faced by these decarbonisation pioneers. In this third episode of First Movers, Ariane Morrissey caught up with Jordan Pechie, President at Seaspan Marine Transportation, about a year and a half after the company welcomed the first of three fully electric tugboats into its fleet, on Canada’s West Coast. In this conversation, Jordan gleefully recalls the surprise on the captain’s face as the tug pulled off the dock silently, and how day-to-day work was transformed as captains adapted to operating the vessels without the usual cues provided by the engines’ sound and vibration. As for many first movers, the project was ahead of both regulation and of any government financial support programme. This meant that Seaspan had to complete a lengthy series of HAZIP and HAZOP to secure approval for the battery-powered vessels, but also that it didn’t receive any government funding for the electric tugs. Despite this, Jordan explains that the project was successful because it made financial sense, with an 8 to 9 years payback period on OpEx through fuel savings. With several new fuel and technology options emerging, he insists on the importance for first movers to develop their green projects around their own operational needs and constraints, and to anchor their decisions in real world data. In Seaspan’s case, the company opted for batteries because British Columbia has abundant clean energy, and the technology was suited for tug operations that require high torque and high power for a short period of time. With more green projects in the works, Seaspan’s experience also underscores how collaboration was essential on several levels: from captains feeding into the vessel design from the outset, to the shared vision of the project partners and clients, which were committed to walking the walk on environment protection.  Listen to the previous episodes in the First Movers series: Episode 01: Rasmus Nielsen, Naval Architect / Officer, ScandlinesEpisode 02: Andrew Hoare, Group Manager of Green Shipping at Fortescue

Our guest this week works day in, day out, on a question that may appear technical at first glance, but will be central to deploying new green fuels in shipping: how can we bunker those fuels safely and efficiently?The ship.energy podcast caught up with Stephen Gallagher, Technical Advisor at SGMF, a few weeks after the publication of its first bunkering guidelines for ammonia and methanol. This milestone, Stephen says, signals that the maritime industry is entering a more practical stage in the transition to new fuels, as the first vessels powered by those fuels hit the water and more are being built.SGMF is hardly new to developing bunkering guidelines for new fuels. The organisation was first known for its LNG bunkering guidelines, which were launched in their initial version in 2016 and have since become a global reference. In this conversation, Stephen explains how experience gained with LNG was applied to developing the new bunkering guidelines, while accounting for the unique characteristics of each fuel, such as the toxicity of ammonia and the flammability of methanol. He believes that the new guidelines will help alleviate seafarer concerns about potential safety risks associated with new fuels, but also insists on the importance for shipping companies to foster an open dialogue with crews from the outset to build trust and ensure a safe environment.Stephen also highlights the need for tailored training, as seafarers must be prepared for the unique scenarios they may encounter, depending on the characteristics of the fuel type. SGMF is working to expand its guidance on training and competency in areas such as ammonia and methanol, by leveraging insights from members and fuel producers, aiming to complement STCW requirements.As SGMF expands its scope to include new fuels, Stephen says he is optimistic for what comes next. In his view, the multi-fuel era is an opportunity to innovate and improve practices.

First movers series, episode 02Andrew Hoare, Group Manager of Green Shipping at Fortescue The First Movers series puts the spotlight on those maritime companies that have been among the first to take the plunge on decarbonisation by trialling and adopting alternative fuels or green technologies. This series goes beyond the initial and optimistic big announcements and headlines and asks what happens in the months and years that follow. It aims to unpick the tangible results achieved and the practical challenges faced by these decarbonisation pioneers. As the series develops, we will interrogate the concept of a ‘first mover advantage’. How does being a trailblazer deliver in terms of achieving commercial success, developing cutting edge technology, and driving the energy transition forwards? With the benefit of hindsight, would these companies take the same decisions again or would their strategies be very different?In this second episode of First Movers, Ariane Morrissey is joined by Andrew Hoare, Group Manager of Green Shipping at Fortescue. The company made global headlines for completing trials of the world’s first ammonia capable ship, the offshore vessel Green Pioneer, in Singapore.In this conversation, Andrew relates how the company overcame a lack of regulatory readiness for the use of ammonia as a marine fuel. He reveals the multiple ‘chicken and egg’ situations that they faced, and how close collaboration with port authorities and classification societies was critical to obtain the necessary approvals for the project to go ahead. Andrew highlights that the biggest learning from Fortescue’s experience as a first mover was the importance of involving the crew from the outset, with a rigorous ‘safety-first’ approach and extensive training. Looking ahead, he argues that there will be a first-mover advantage, as a growing range of EU, global and national regulations will put a price on carbon emissions. He points out that this will not only make it increasingly expensive to operate on traditional fossil fuels, but also means that companies will find it difficult to secure financing unless they act on decarbonisation. Listen to the first episode of the First Movers series here: Rasmus Nielsen, Naval Architect / Officer, Scandlines 

In this week’s ship.energy podcast we look at the issue of methane slip across the maritime fuel supply chain and, more specifically, onboard LNG dual-fuelled vessels.We hear a lot about the need to cut shipping’s carbon dioxide emissions but in terms of climate impact methane is much more pernicious than CO2. It has a global warming potential 28 times greater than CO2 over a 100-year timeframe, and when we are looking at a 20-year period, this rises to 87.The Methane Abatement in Maritime Innovation Initiative – or MAMII – was launched over two years ago, in September 2022, by SafetyTech Accelerator, which was established by Lloyd’s Register and has a mission to find and put to the test a range of technologies will measure and abate methane emissions in the maritime sector.To discuss the challenges posed by methane slip and the work being undertaken by MAMII, we are joined by its programme director, Steve Price.During the conversation, Steve explains current approaches and methodologies in measuring methane slip and the project’s selection of measurement technologies.He gives an overview of the methane slip abatement technologies that could be adapted for the maritime environment.Steve also looks at the increasingly complex regulatory environment for shipping and considers what role MAMII could potentially play in developing or harmonising a standard for methane measurement.For the last six years Steve has worked for Safetytech Accelerator, established by Lloyds Register, to bring innovation into safetytech critical industries including construction, shipping, ports, mining and nuclear). Challenges have included safety, sustainability and welfare. Steve has spent the last 20 years running innovation programmes for large corporates and the UK government’s innovation agency. He started his career with a computer science degree and went on to run digital transformation programmes throughout his management consulting career. 

First movers series, episode 01Rasmus Nielsen, Naval Architect / Officer, Scandlines The First Movers series puts the spotlight on those maritime companies that have been among the first to take the plunge on decarbonisation by trialling and adopting alternative fuels or green technologies. This series goes beyond the initial and optimistic big announcements and headlines and asks what happens in the months and years that follow. It aims to unpick the tangible results achieved and the practical challenges faced by these decarbonisation pioneers. As the series develops, we will interrogate the concept of a ‘first mover advantage’. How does being a trailblazer deliver in terms of achieving commercial success, developing cutting edge technology, and driving the energy transition forwards? With the benefit of hindsight, would these companies take the same decisions again or would their strategies be very different?In this first episode of First Movers, Ariane Morrissey is joined by Rasmus Nielsen, Naval Architect and Officer at Scandlines, a ferry company that operates routes between Denmark and Germany. Rasmus was involved throughout the preparation, installation, and performance evaluation of rotor sails on M/V Copenhagen in 2020, and on M/V Berlin two years later. In this interview, he reveals how the company started small to test the technology, document performance and solve any teething issues – and how being a first mover paid off, with the wind propulsion system genuinely delivering the 4-5% average emissions reductions that were promised in the project. Rasmus also reflects on the challenges faced by first movers who pioneer technologies before regulation and rules are fully ready, and how Scandlines successfully jumped through those administrative hoops to install battery systems on board back in 2013. He believes that new regulation including EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime will make it inevitable for other companies to follow the path paved by first movers, arguing that doing nothing will also have a cost. 

As Ardmore marks 10 years without a lost-time injury (LTI) on its tanker Ardmore Endeavour, the company’s Fleet Management Director Gerry Docherty reflects on the importance of listening to seafarers to build a robust safety culture on board, and how that can be done in practice. In this interview, Gerry argues that maintaining an open dialogue with seafarers will be essential throughout the energy transition. He also expands on the role that digital technology will play in upskilling crews as new fuels and technologies are introduced on board – and how Ardmore is already using virtual reality as part of its training regime. Himself a seagoing marine engineer with BP Shipping in the 1990s, Gerry then served as a Project Manager and Senior Surveyor with Lloyd’s Register before joining Ardmore in 2011.

Rob Mortimer, Founder and CEO, Fuelre4mThe first guest on the ship.energy podcast in October is Rob Mortimer, Founder and CEO of Dubai-based Fuelre4m. Rob has taken on the challenge of transforming how industries think about fossil fuels, with a focus on modernising outdated practices through innovation, digitalisation, and cutting-edge technology. At Fuelre4m, Rob spearheaded the development of Re4mx, a fuel optimisation technology that improves fuel efficiency by up to 20% while reducing emissions by as much as 80%. He also led the development of Styrex, a world-first innovation that recycles polystyrene waste into sustainable fuel, helping industries transition to circular economy models. Before launching Fuelre4m, Rob honed his leadership skills across various sectors. His role as Managing Director at Valley Utilities Ltd demonstrated his ability to drive business growth while focusing on the sustainability of energy resources. Additionally, his time as Managing Director at Catomance Ltd provided him with extensive experience in technical and regulatory leadership within the fuel and energy industries.In conversation with ship.energy’s Lesley Bankes-Hughes, Rob explains how Re4mx technology can move the dial on conventional marine fuel in terms of energy content, combustion and emissions reduction. He also sets out his concerns over the accuracy of current data on fuel consumption and how that data is being collected and interpreted, and he gives his perspectives on how digitalisation can optimise the accretion and value of data. 

This week’s podcast guest is Ahila Karan who is the Senior Lead on Green Initiatives at the Lloyd’s Register (LR) Maritime Decarbonisation Hub. In this role she led the launch of The Silk Alliance Green Corridor Cluster to catalyse the bunkering of alternative fuels in Singapore, as well as the Maritime Fuel Supply Dialogues, a regional initiative facilitating public/private dialogues across the energy and transport sectors to accelerate hydrogen-based fuel supply development across Asia Pacific and Africa. Ahila has more than 7 years’ experience covering global energy markets, with a particular focus on transportation fuels and the cleaner fuels transition. She holds a Master of Science degree in Economics from University College London and previously worked at oil trading company Trafigura as the Global Distillates Analyst where she was also involved in producing analysis on shipping industry trends and fleet analysis. Prior to this, Ahila worked at S&P Global, reporting on major energy news and the latest environmental policy changes affecting the shipping and road fuels industries. The Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub is an independent, not-for-profit social purpose organisation, working towards a safe, sustainable, and human-centric decarbonised shipping industry for the benefit of society.  It was formed in 2020 with a grant from Lloyd’s Register Foundation.

ship.energy marks a new month with a new podcast, featuring Alexandre Tocatlian, Head of Business Development at Gaztransport & Technigaz (GTT) Commercial Division.Taking a deep dive into all things LNG, Alexandre will discuss GTT’s work on LNG containment systems, explain the characteristics of bio and synthetic LNG, and consider how LNG can maintain its reputation as a low-emission fuel on a well-to-wake basis.Alexandre Tocatlian graduated in 2011 from the Ecole Centrale de Lyon, with a specialiaation in Mechanical Engineering at Imperial College London. He joined GTT in January 2014 as a Technical Project Manager on LNGCs and FSRUs projects. In September 2016, he moved to the LNG Fuel Division, as a Product Line Manager for the passenger ship market. From July 2019 he managed the Product Lines team, delivering solutions for all types of LNG-fuelled ships and LNG bunker vessels. Since July 2021, Alexandre has been heading the Business Development team covering all GTT products and services for Europe, Russia, Middle East, Africa and India.

In this week’s podcast, we discuss the issues surrounding the commercial viability of nuclear-powered ships and how they could change the shipping industry. In conversation with Mark Williams, Chirayu Batra, an independent expert on advanced reactors and small modular reactors, addresses technical questions on nuclear reactors. They are joined by Amelia Hipwell, Decarbonisation Innovation Manager at Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub, who offers her perspectives on the business case for nuclear-powered shipping as well as the challenges, including overcoming public perceptions about the use of the technology. Amelia is the Decarbonisation Innovation Manager of the Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub (LR MDH). She manages the Hub’s proprietary Zero Carbon Fuel Monitor website which provides an insights-based assessment of the readiness of zero carbon fuels for maritime applications and industry-wide comparisons of alternative solutions across the entire fuel supply chain. Amelia joined Lloyd’s Register in 2016, after graduating with a Master of Engineering (Mechanical, Design and Operations) degree from the University of Durham. She joined LR on the graduate scheme before moving into the role of an Additive Manufacturing Inspection Surveyor, developing LR's additive manufacturing expertise and value propositions, and then as a Business Model Innovation Architect. At the LR MDH, Amelia has grown and evolved the Zero Carbon Fuel Monitor, which assesses the readiness levels of shipping’s most promising zero-carbon fuels and energy sources in three main areas: technology, investment, and community. She has authored two published update reports for the Monitor – the Zero Carbon Fuel Monitor October 2023 update and How close is the shipping industry to adopting nuclear for propulsion? She has also worked with the Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) on the report, Green Steel and Shipping.Chirayu Batra has over a decade of experience in advanced nuclear technology. Currently, he is channelling his expertise into a new stealth-mode venture, focused on advancing nuclear technology. Previously, as Chief Technology Officer at TerraPraxis and LucidCatalyst, Chirayu worked on large-scale deployment strategies for nuclear energy. Prior to this, he served as a Project Officer for advanced reactor technologies at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). As a subject matter expert, Chirayu has in-depth knowledge of nuclear reactor design, safety, and technology development. His advanced degrees in Nuclear Engineering and Nuclear Reactor Physics, complemented by research experience in neutronics and thermal hydraulics, underpin his technical and project management proficiency. At the IAEA, Chirayu was the first scientific secretary for the agency’s platform on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), coordinating the development of the IAEA’s medium-term strategy for near-term deployment of SMRs. He also led the creation of the international SMR Coordination and Resource Portal for Information Exchange, Outreach, and Networking, which is currently the primary source of information for all relevant activities on SMRs at the IAEA. Additionally, Chirayu spearheaded the IAEA’s activities on codes and standards, design engineering, and manufacturing of SMR components. His contributions extended to several international scientific committees, where he regularly provided technical insights. Chirayu holds a double master's degree in Nuclear Engineering and Nuclear Reactor Physics, along with an undergraduate degree in Material Science. 

ship.energy celebrates its 100th podcast this week with a great conversation between contributing editor Mark Williams and Allyson Browne, co-founder of High Ambition Climate Collective and a driving force for change in climate and energy policy.With more than 10 years of experience across the public, private and nonprofit sectors, Allyson has also served as Pacific Environment’s Climate Campaign Director, leading their Ports for People campaigns to end port and ship pollution in partnership with frontline community-based organisations.Shore power is a key strand in this discussion, and Allyson looks at developments in this technology at US ports and considers the challenges surrounding the supply of electricity from renewable sources in order to be truly net zero.She also explains how ports’ decarbonisation efforts, including electrification and shore power, can support climate adaptation and resilience goals.In other roles, Allyson has previously served as the Director of Regulatory Affairs for SRECTrade, where she collaborated with industry and grassroots organisations on renewable energy policies. She was Chief of Staff to Jared Blumenfeld for California Governor Newsom’s 2018 gubernatorial campaign and on the Energy & Environment team, and she has also worked as a consultant on energy in cities, cannabis, and cryptocurrency.Allyson holds a Juris Doctor, Environmental Law from Golden Gate University School of Law and a B.S., Business Administration from University of Southern California Marshall School of Business.

On this week’s ship.energy podcast, Paul Stuart Smith, Managing Partner, JS Global Advisory, and Mark Williams discuss whether, in the light of recent announcements from energy companies and recent election results, decarbonisation is going backwards.They consider the progress and challenges of decarbonisation and the broader ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) framework. Paul emphasises the need for increased investment in renewable energy and alternative fuels, as well as stronger government support and regulatory clarity. He also highlights the importance of ESG reporting and the pushback it has faced, but notes that companies are increasingly focusing on ESG issues and adopting reporting frameworks like TCFD (Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures) and TNFD (Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures).Paul is a former Executive Director at the Baltic Exchange where he led its regulated subsidiary from 2009-17. He previously held high-profile roles in Capital Markets at Morgan Stanley and Chemical Bank in London and New York. His experience includes managing Morgan Stanley’s financing and borrowing activity in Europe, as well as managing significant risk positions for both firms in bond, currency and derivatives markets.As a consultant he has advised the Climate Bonds Initiative on its Shipping Criteria and a UK bank on the structuring and roll out of a ground-breaking green finance product based on Green Bond & Green Loan Principles and the EU Taxonomy.He works with listed companies across sectors and geographies with a particular focus on decarbonisation, the energy transition, and corporate reporting of climate-related risk in line with the TCFD recommendations, including scenario analysis and selection and reporting of KPIs. Other current projects include advising on the development of the business model for a new Global Biodiversity Standard which aims to provide much needed assurance to carbon sequestration projects and carbon credit markets world-wide.In 2023 he contributed to a report from the UNDP which calls on regulators and policymakers to integrate social inequality-related risk fully into financial stability and disclosure frameworks. He is an Oxford-educated mathematician and trained as a barrister

On this week’s ship.energy podcast, Mark Williams talks to Giampiero Soncini, Managing Director of the digitalisation and decarbonisation company, Oceanly.In the course of his career, Giampiero spent 20 years at SpecTec - the company behind the AMOS software - including 11 years as its CEO. During this time, he played a significant role in establishing the company as a major player in IT for the shipping industry. Giampiero believes that the future of digitalisation in shipping lies in achieving complete control over all aspects of navigation planning, fuel consumption, and emissions. As a result, he is convinced that Oceanly Performance will become a crucial element of fleet management. For this reason, he decided to join the company as CEO. In this podcast, Mark and Giampiero discuss trends in onboard data collection, analysis and reporting, automation, decision support and autonomy, and the benefits and limits of voyage optimisation. Giampiero served as an officer in the Italian Navy for 14 years, and for 13 years was the Technical Manager for NATO Research Vessel Alliance, the world's first ship to be equipped with both GPS and Inertial Navigation System technology. During this time, he became passionate about integrating technology into ships.

In this week’s ship.energy podcast, the spotlight is on the Maritime Fuel Supply Dialogues, an initiative from Lloyd’s Register’s Decarbonisation Hub. The Dialogues were launched at a first roundtable discussion on 16 April during Singapore Maritime Week which was hosted by the Ocean Stewardship Coalition of the United Nations Global Compact in partnership with the LR Maritime Decarbonisation Hub.The initiative is a dialogue series focused on scaling fuel supply development across Asia Pacific and Africa to support regional maritime decarbonisation, that brings together stakeholders across energy and transport sectors. The series aims to unlock the potential for clean and sustainable fuels, especially hydrogen-based fuels, and to foster a thriving blue economy.In this ship.energy discussion, contributing editor Mark Williams finds out more about the focus and aims of the Dialogues in conversation with Karan Sawhney, Senior Project Manager, Ocean Stewardship Coalition, United Nations Global Compact and Carlo Raucci, Director of Sustainable Fuels and Strategy, Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub.Karan SawhneyKaran Sawhney is a Senior Project Manager at the Ocean Stewardship Coalition of the UN Global Compact with a background in the maritime and energy sectors.Karan began his professional journey in the shipping industry in Singapore. He then ventured into entrepreneurship by founding his own company in the offshore oil and gas sector. Seeking to deepen his understanding of energy and environmental issues and pursue his passion for sustainability Karan left the industry to pursue a Master's degree in Energy, Natural Resources, and the Environment at the Norwegian School of Economics (NHH), complementing his Bachelor's degree from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University Bloomington.Karan then joined the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) as a Program Advisor, where he played a crucial role in international conservation projects. His work in project management and sustainability led him to his current role at the UN Global Compact, where he is responsible for developing and managing sustainability linked initiatives within the maritime sector. Karan is currently leading the establishment of Ocean Stewardship Centers in the global south, as well as  spearheading an international ports working group, focusing on high-level policy recommendations to be presented during the UN General Assembly Week.Dr Carlo RaucciDr Carlo Raucci is a highly regarded expert in maritime decarbonisation, with over 15 years of experience driving change in the industry. As Director, Sustainable Fuels and Strategy at the Lloyd's Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub, he spearheads efforts to accelerate the adoption of sustainable fuels for shipping.Dr Raucci’s study "A framework for first movers in shipping's decarbonisation (2021)" played a pivotal role in establishing the Silk Alliance, a green corridor cluster in Singapore, which is currently managed by his team. He is accountable for the First Mover Program of the Hub, where he supervises a team and supports stakeholders across the maritime industry to embrace sustainable fuels and expedite the transition to a clean future.His expertise extends beyond hydrogen, encompassing fuel mix projections, production cost models, and decarbonisation strategy development. Dr Raucci has authored numerous publications, including: “The scale of investment needed to decarbonise international shipping”, “The Potential of Zero-Carbon Bunker Fuels in Developing Countries”, and The Future of Maritime Fuels. Dr Raucci's research from his PhD at University College London (2016) was the first to propose hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuels as a viable option for decarbonising shipping.

On the ship.energy podcast this week, Dan Slater, VP Sales and Business Development at Scanreach, takes a deep dive into the world of digitalisation to explain the importance of IoT for smart shipping and how data can be collected, reported and acted on to improve vessel efficiency. Dan has a BSc in Applied Chemistry from Cardiff University in Wales. He has three decades of experience in telecoms and data sales and business development. He joined ScanReach in 2022 after a number of years at GreenSteam. He has also held senior positions at i4-Insight and Eniram.ScanReach is a maritime IoT company based in Bergen, Norway. The company was founded in 2015 with the mission of developing affordable and user-friendly live lifesaving technologies for vessels and offshore installations, in particular for Personnel On-Board (POB) Control.The company has developed a wireless IoT platform for complex and confined steel environments such as ships and offshore structures. This means that the inside of vessels and rigs can be wirelessly fully covered. Other IoT applications also include wireless control of assets, equipment, room conditions, and cargo monitoring and gas detection.

Julian Boulland, head of the sustainable shipping commercial department at Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore, is this week’s podcast guest.In a wide-ranging conversation with ship.energy’s contributing editor Mark Williams, Julian considers the challenges and potential timelines for scaling up the availability of next generation shipping fuels. He also looks non-fuel tech options which are going to be vital in meeting the IMO’s intermediate emission reduction targets. Julien has represented Bureau Veritas for over 18 years in positions around the world, including a decade based in South East Asia. An expert in gas technologies, he has worked on various aspects of LNG in shipping related to Classification, Certification, Regulatory Compliance and Innovation. He frequently delivers workshops and trainings on technical aspects of LNG shipping and Code compliance (IGC Code and IGF Code) and is a well-known speaker at forums and conferences.Julien has an MSc in Naval Architecture / Naval Engineering from the University of Southampton in the UK and aMSc in Engineering from the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Mines de Nancy in France. 

This week’s ship.energy podcast features Matt Dunlop, Group Director, Sustainability & Decarbonisation at V ShipsMatt is a Master Mariner and has sailed on Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels. His career ashore began in 1996 with Acomarit which was later acquired by V.Ships in 2001. His roles have included time spent as a Ship Operator, Fleet Operations Manager and Fleet Manager, before taking up the role of Divisional Risk, Safety and Quality Director, Chief Operating Officer, Group Director Marine Operations and latterly Group HSSEQ Director.As Sustainability & Decarbonisation Director, Matt has the responsibility to drive V.Group’s partnership with the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping to help the industry transition to a net zero future. He is working closely with the Center to support its work and provide practical guidance regarding safe solutions to achieve decarbonisation aims.Matt is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute.

Dr Adi Imsirovic, Director of Surrey Clean Energy, gives his insights on alternative marine fuels and the future of oil in this week’s ship.energy podcast. Dr Imsirovic has some 35 years of experience in oil trading and has held a number of senior positions in his career, including as Global Head of Oil at Gazprom Marketing & Trading and Regional Manager of Texaco Oil Trading for Asia.As well as looking at the trajectory of shipping’s energy transition, Dr Imsirovic is extremely well placed to consider the future of oil. How much oil will still be produced, traded and consumed by 2050? How will oil be priced? What will carbon pricing and carbon capture do to oil markets? In addition to his roles in the commercial sector, Dr Imsirovic was a Fulbright Scholar, studying at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University. He taught Energy Economics as well as Resource and Environmental Economics at Surrey University for several years, where he remains affiliated to its Energy Economic Centre. He has also worked as a Senior Research Fellow the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies.He has a PhD in Economics and a Masters degree in Energy Economics. Dr Imsirovic has written a number of papers and articles on the topic of oil and gas prices, benchmarks, and energy security. He is the author of ‘Trading and Price Discovery for Crude Oils: Growth and Development of International Oil Markets’, published in 2021 and also editor of ‘Brent Crude Oil: Genesis and Development of the World's Most Important Oil Benchmark’.His next book to be published is ‘International Oil Markets in the Era of Climate Change’.

This week’s ship.energy podcast features Arsenio Domínguez, who began his four-year term of office as the Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) at the start of 2024.The podcast was recorded in the wake of the 81st session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) and, in conversation with ship.energy’s contributing editor, Mark Williams, Dominguez underscores the importance of the IMO when it comes to establishing global regulations for the shipping sector.Dominguez also gives his views on:• How the shipping industry is progressing towards 2030 and 2040 interim emissions targets, that were adopted in MEPC 80, as well as the 2050 net zero goal. • The Carbon Intensity Indicator.• How the IMO can retain its global primacy in shipping in the face of regional shipping regulations and emissions regimes.• His personal hopes for the industry between now and the end of the decade.