LOGISTICS
“DATA-BASED DECISION MAKING WILL FUTURE-PROOF MARITIME ORGANISATIONS AND ENSURE THEY RUN SUSTAINABLE AND PROFITABLE BUSINESSES ”
SARAH BARRETT , HEAD OF PRODUCT INSIGHTS , WÄRTSILÄ VOYAGE
The pace of change in sustainable sea freight is encouraging , says Hersham .
“ We ’ re already seeing a shift to more-sustainable shipping ,” he says . “ This is reflected in the carriers ’ order books for more dual-fuel ships , which are beginning to make up a greater proportion of new vessels .”
He also points out the Chinese State Shipbuilding Corporation reported recently that 31.6 % of vessels completed in 2022 were dual-fuel ships . Although sea cargo businesses have a couple of years ’ grace , Hersham says the regulations determining acceptable levels of emissions will grow tougher year-onyear , “ meaning that the pressure on less efficient vessels will continue to grow ”.
Biofuels require no ship engine modifications Hersham feels that there is great potential for investment in biofuels .
“ Some biofuels , such as dimethyl ether , require no extensive modifications to engines , and are the most ready lowemissions fuel option ,” he says . But , he adds , these are also “ substantially more expensive than traditional fuels ”, and that there are doubts such fuel “ can be consistently produced in the required quantities ”.
However sustainable shipping plays out over the coming years , Hersham says that supply chain executives must prepare for change by “ speaking to their partners in order to understand how the new regulations will affect capacity , lead times and schedule reliability ”.
Yet net zero sea freight is not just a question of fuel choice ; it will also be driven
70 April 2023