Quick Dips
Curated topical articles on the Blue Economy

Financing a green shipping sector

• World Ocean Initiative, The Economist Group • Shipping & Ports

Experts at the 9th annual World Ocean Summit explore investment opportunities for sustainable maritime trade & transport.

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How sea journeys are becoming more sustainable

• World Ocean Initiative, The Economist Group • Shipping & Ports

Electrification, futuristic designs and energy efficiency are transforming ocean travel.

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Strategy session: financing shipping decarbonisation

• World Ocean Initiative, The Economist Group • Shipping & Ports

The shipping industry is essential for global trade and yet also responsible for around 2.5% of greenhouse-gas emissions (GHGs), which could rise by 50-250% by 2050 if shipping is not decarbonised, according to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

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‘Black carbon’ threat to Arctic as sea routes open up with global heating

• Karen McVeigh, The Guardian • Shipping & Ports

As climate crisis allows new maritime routes to be used, sooty shipping emissions accelerates ice melt and risk to ecosystems.

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Revealed: ships may dump oil up to 3,000 times a year in Europe’s waters

• Paddison, L. et al., The Guardian • Plastics & Pollution • Shipping & Ports

Collaborative investigation shows ships regularly discharge ‘bilge’ water illegally instead of treating it, with toxic effect on marine life.

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The Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation and the Global Maritime Forum sign knowledge partnership to accelerate shipping decarbonisation

• Global Maritime Forum • Energy Solutions • Shipping & Ports

The Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) and the Global Maritime Forum have signed a partnership agreement to support and accelerate the transition of the global maritime industry to a low-carbon future.

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Transforming Shipping for Climate, People and Nature

• Billecocq, I.B. et al., United Nations Foundation • Shipping & Ports

Transforming global shipping is a critical part of reaching the Paris Agreement target of limiting global warming to 1.5 °C and building zero emissions, resilient global supply chains that billions of people rely on.

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Rethinking global supply chains for the energy transition

• Joisa Saraiva & David G. Victor, World Economic Forum • Energy Solutions • Shipping & Ports

We need to rethink global supply chains in order to support the energy transition.

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‘Nurdles are everywhere’: how plastic pellets ravaged a Sri Lankan paradise

• Zinara Rathnayake, The Guardian • Plastics & Pollution • Shipping & Ports

The country’s golden beaches have turned black as debris released from a sunken ship continues to wreak environmental and economic havoc.

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Catching up with an Ocean Changemaker

• World Ocean Initiative, The Economist Group • Shipping & Ports

Leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) for carbon-neutral shipping? Challenge winner Casimir Morobé of Toqua tells us how winning has impacted his start-up.

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Antarctica’s unique ecosystem is threatened by invasive species ‘hitchhiking’ on ships

• Arlie McCarthy, The Conversation • Shipping & Ports

The best way to protect against this is to prevent any non-native species arriving in the first place.

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World’s largest coal port to be 100% powered by renewable energy

• Royce Kurmelovs, The Guardian • Energy Solutions • Shipping & Ports

Port of Newcastle says move is part of plan to decarbonise the business by 2040 and ‘we don’t really have a choice’.

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U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg Announces Over $241 Million in Grants for America’s Ports

• Marine Administration, US Department of Transportation • Shipping & Ports

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 PIDP includes priorities related to job creation, climate change, and environmental justice impacts.

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Sustainable shipping has a two-speed setting

• Paul Hickin and Surabhi Sahu, S&P Global • Shipping & Ports

Shipping's ability to meet decarbonization targets seem both extremely easy and very tough.

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Rolls-Royce to launch mtu methanol engines for sustainable shipping

• Ship Technology • Shipping & Ports

Methanol, unlike ammonia, is safe for environment and not toxic in nature.

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Together we fight: Protecting the ocean and combating climate change

• World Ocean Initiative, The Economist Group • Shipping & Ports

A guest blog from World Ocean Summit Asia-Pacific speaker Kitack Lim, secretary-general of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

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New deal to decarbonise shipping isn’t enough – here’s how global trade can reach net-zero

• Wim Naudé, The Conversation • Shipping & Ports

Much of the world has been left disappointed by the Glasgow Climate Pact, the outcome of the COP26 climate conference. Scientists say it will not lead to the decarbonisation required to limit global warming to less than 2°C in the coming years.

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Shipping emissions must fall by a third by 2030 and reach zero before 2050 – new research

• Bullock, S. et al., The Conversation • Shipping & Ports

Progress on cutting emissions in shipping has been slow. In fact, emissions are no lower now than they were ten years ago.

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How to make fragile global supply chains stronger and more sustainable

• Guitouni, A. et al., The Conversation • Shipping & Ports

For most of us, supply chains are no longer an abstract concept. The COVID-19 pandemic raised our awareness about the interdependence of our economic systems.

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Shipping firms vow to cut emissions if governments support low-carbon tech

• Fiona Harvey, The Guardian • Shipping & Ports

Industry calls for levy to fund new technologies – but environmentalists say proposal blocks climate progress.

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