Denmark launches new strategy to make shipping greener

Danish Shipping has unveiled a new strategy for the next three years in an effort to accelerate the global green transition of shipping.

With the new strategy named “Towards Zero”, Danish Shipping — a trade and employer organisation for more than 90 shipowners and offshore companies — wants to help make shipping climate neutral as soon as possible and by 2050 at the latest.

As disclosed, Towards Zero has the following six main goals:

• Introduce new ambitious reduction targets up to 2050 in the final greenhouse gas strategy in 2023. The new targets should be based on science and be consistent with the Paris Agreement;
• Increase the contribution of Danish shipping companies to the development of global sea wind capacity and CCS projects;
• Maintain and develop a strong pipeline of competences to the shipping industry;
• Guarantee and provide at least 400 training places at sea a year to take account of the growth of the Danish fleet, including the offshore sector;
• Ensure competitive framework conditions and support continued growth of the Danish merchant fleet and shipping industry;
• Solve the daily challenges of Danish Shipping members.

In specific terms, it means that Danish Shipping will work even harder to overcome the regulatory financial and political barriers that stand in the way of global, climate-neutral shipping. The path laid in the coming years will be decisive for the journey towards 2050, according to the trade organization.

Danish Shipping will use the new strategy to push and create the basis for the reduction requirements, and ensure that the ensuing global climate regulations from the UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) become more ambitious.

In addition, the ambition is to strengthen shipping companies’ climate reporting, create a tangible impression on the European climate package, “Fit for 55”, and finally exploit Danish shipping companies’ potential in offshore wind and carbon capture and storage (CCS).

“Denmark is a huge maritime nation and we therefore have an obligation to use our size to play a positive and ambitious role in the green transition of global shipping,” Jacob Meldgaard, CEO of TORM and Chairman of Danish Shipping, pointed out.

“The new strategy ‘Towards Zero’ therefore aims to accelerate the transition of shipping to becoming emission-free. Together with the government, we can show the way – not only in Denmark but globally.”

Increased number of guaranteed training places

Although the green transition of shipping is the overriding theme of the new strategy, Danish Shipping will continue to focus on solving its members’ problems – and finding solutions.

It will also ensure that shipping companies in the future have people with the skills needed in the industry. The pipeline of the correct competences is crucial if we are to succeed with the green transition.

For this reason, shipping companies will in future guarantee 400 training places per year, compared to 350 previously, Danish Shipping informed.

“It’s a hard battle for talent. And in the short sea shipping segment and on offshore vessels especially, we are short of people with the right skills. So I am very pleased that we are now raising the bar and in future will guarantee 400 young people a training place every single year.”

New strategy replacing “Ahead of the curve”

The new strategy “Towards Zero” replaces the strategy “Ahead of the curve”, which Danish Shipping pursued from 2018 to the end of 2021.

During the strategy period just completed, one of the key indicators was ensuring that Denmark would remain an attractive place to operate a shipping company.

“The Danish fleet has grown considerably, both in terms of flag and gross tonnage, and exports have increased. This is the most obvious evidence that Denmark is a good place to operate a shipping company,” Meldgaard continued.

“We had a target for the number of ships under the Danish flag to grow by 10%, and the growth was in fact 14%. In terms of tonnage, the fleet has increased by more than 40%, so it has more than succeeded,” he concluded.