MSC Rallies Net-Zero Momentum at Maritime Transport Efficiency Conference

We gathered with industry partners to build momentum for innovative decarbonization solutions at the Maritime Transport Efficiency Conference in Geneva 26-27 September, ahead of World Maritime Day which this year focuses on the theme of “New technologies for greener shipping”.

The event brought major players together across the shipping industry, including technology developers, ship owners, carriers, charterers, and policymakers, for two-days of fruitful dialogue in our home city of Geneva.

Opening the conference, Fabienne Fischer, State Councillor, at Geneva’s Department of Economy & Employment, underscored the importance of efficiency in the maritime sector, particularly given the urgency of the climate crisis and an increased demand for essential shipping services.

We shared our pathway to net zero decarbonization by 2050 and engaged in productive discussions with our peers that are on similar journeys. As part of our Journey to Net Zero, MSC is working on and investing heavily in improving energy efficiency, phasing in lower-carbon transitional fuels, and exploring and trialling alternative fuels of the future.

Speaking during a panel discussion on ‘How to decide on fuel strategy in times of uncertainty?’, Claudio Abbate, Vice President Maritime Policy & Government Affairs, MSC Group commented:
“I believe that the low-carbon future has a cost, and that cost will be shared. We have a lot of work ahead of us and we will need to collaborate to encourage scalable solutions for alternative fuels.”

Homing in on the central nature of improving energy efficiency to our decarbonisation efforts, Prabhat Jha, CEO, MSC Shipmanagement Cyprus, examined the range of adaptations and enhancements that we are making across our vessels to reduce our emissions. He mentioned, “We are looking at a comprehensive set of solutions, from improving the performance of our vessels and renewing our fleet to optimising routing. We are retrofitting our vessels extensively, from using anti-fouling paints and retrofitting propellers and bulbous bow to boosting capacity and cold-ironing to use shore-based power. Together, these innovations have the potential to make real change.”

Prabhat Jha, went on to highlight MSC’s partnership on a proof of concept with fuel supplier, Quadrise, to use cleaner and more efficient fuel. MSC will trial the use of Quadrise’s oil-in-water emulsion fuels (MSAR and bioMSAR), which produce 25% less NOx and lower CO₂ emissions. Trials are set to commence in Q1 2023 and to be completed by Q3 2023.

MSC is keen to explore a range of fuels and technological innovations to reach net zero decarbonisation by 2050 and sees cross-industry collaboration as crucial to making this happen in a scalable way. The event marked an important step towards MSC establishing stronger partnerships to achieve the concrete solutions required for a sustainable maritime sector.