In response to the seven global trends identified in its 2012 ‘Changing Context’ report, the Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) has developed its vision for 2040, as well as a practical, action-orientated roadmap to address the issues identified.
PTI previously reported that the SSI had released its 'Signals of Change' report in a bid to explore the impact of emerging technology, behaviours and policies on the future of sustainable shipping.
Three years on, the report revisits the trends to monitor how and where progress has been made.
Trends that are affecting shipping include the continued shift in economic and political power towards China, which has recently won a 40-year concession to operate Gwadar Port, Pakistan, as well as the continued development of South-South trade, which is influencing demands on maritime services.
Alastair Fischbacher, CEO of the Sustainable Shipping Initiative, said: “Increased scrutiny and environmental regulation have undoubtedly put the industry under a fresh set of pressures over the last few years, and whilst many aspects of these are still being worked through, we are beginning to see some positive developments.”
One of the areas of greatest concern was the industry’s response to climate change.
With climate change accelerating more rapidly than predicted, a lack of policy and information directly related to shipping’s contribution and the impact of extreme climate change on the industry has stalled any proactive response.
Fischbacher said: “As climate change is on a track headed towards a ‘worst case’ scenario, the impact on shipping could be significant. For example rising sea levels, the opening of new shipping lanes due to melting ice caps and global trade patterns are all realities.
“Existing knowledge about climate change and hazards specific to the maritime sector remain insufficient for quantifying the economic consequences and specific needs to plan changes to safe ship designs and operations.”
Fischbacher concluded: “As our work groups push forward to address some of these areas practically and pro-actively, we encourage anyone with an interest in the future of sustainable shipping to connect with us through the platform – the more we can scale support, the quicker we can achieve momentum.”
