Alfa Laval has joined the Getting to Zero Coalition, a coordinated effort to fight climate change by introducing zero-emission vessels by the year 2030.
The 2030 goal is key to decarbonising the global shipping industry and reaching the International Maritime Organization (IMO) target of cutting vessel-related greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 per cent by 2050 from 2008 levels.
The Getting to Zero Coalition, which was announced on September 23, 2019 at the United Nations Climate Action Summit in New York, is an initiative from the Global Maritime Forum, the World Economic Forum and Friends of Ocean Action. Comprising more than 100 organisations and endorsed by 14 governments, the coalition will spearhead the development of game-changing technology needed to combat climate change.
“Stopping climate change is not only the greatest challenge of our generation, but also an obligation to the generations that will follow,” said Sameer Kalra, president, Alfa Laval Marine Division. “Just as marine business spans the world, we must partner across the industry to tackle the global problem of greenhouse gas emissions. Together we can – and will – lead the way to positive change.”
The aim of having zero-emission vessels by 2030 is ambitious, but also crucial in a wider perspective. To radically reduce vessel-related greenhouse gas emissions, technically feasible and commercially viable zero-emission vessels will be needed. However, since ships have a lifetime of 20 years or more, these vessels must begin entering the global fleet by 2030 for a 50 per cent reduction to be achieved by 2050. Likewise, there will need to be a scalable infrastructure available to provide them with zero-carbon energy sources.
“The demands are daunting, but clear,” continued Mr Kalra. “Alfa Laval has a long history of collaborating with others to meet seemingly insurmountable challenges, not least when it comes to the environment. This challenge will be no exception. Through the Getting to Zero Coalition, we will work in both familiar and new constellations, bringing our full experience, our broad portfolio of marine technologies and our considerable R&D resources to the table. We are committed and we are determined.”
