Hempel announced that it has joined the Getting to Zero Coalition, a multi-stakeholder group that aims to see the introduction of commercially viable zero-emission shipping vessels by 2030.

In 2018, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) adopted a strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from shipping by at least 50 percent by 2050 compared to 2008 levels. At the same time, the IMO will pursue efforts to eliminate emissions from shipping altogether – the full decarbonization of the industry.

For this to be possible, zero-emission vessels (ZEV) are essential, which is why the Getting to Zero Coalition was established. A partnership between the Global Maritime Forum, Friends of Ocean Action and the World Economic Forum, is bringing together industry stakeholders to work towards having commercially viable ZEVs operating along deep-sea trade routes by 2030.

“As a company, we have long played a key role in helping the shipping industry reduce emissions through our hydrodynamic hull coatings, such as Hempaguard MaX and our SHAPE propulsion efficiency measuring services,” said Christian Ottosen, group VP, head of Marine Business at Hempel. “When creating ZEVs, we need to consider all aspects of design and operation – not just the fuel source – and our coatings are one of the most important components to achieve this reduction.”

Launched in September, Hempaguard MaX reduces a vessel’s drag in the water, which cuts fuel consumption and associated emissions. It is based on Hempaguard X7, a hull coating that has been applied to over 1,500 vessels since its launch in 2013, enabling those vessels to collectively reduce their annual fuel bill by $500 million and cut annual CO2 emissions by more than 10 million tons.

The Getting to Zero Coalition will begin by working with industry players in the maritime, energy and other related industries, as well as academics, think tanks and policymakers, to develop a roadmap that identifies the technologies, investments and actions needed to get commercially viable ZEVs operating on the water by 2030, including all necessary infrastructure around the new vessels.