To assess the maritime industry’s progress and challenges in decarbonisation, GCMD and BCG conducted the second edition of the Global Maritime Decarbonisation Survey. Insights were collected from 114 shipowners and operators across vessel types, fleet sizes, and geographies, supplemented by interviews with five key bunkering ports.
The findings revealed that despite ongoing economic and geopolitical uncertainties, industry ambitions remain resilient. Today, 77% of shipowners and operators consider achieving net zero a high strategic priority—up from 73% two years ago. The use of bio-blended fuels has more than doubled, and methanol uptake has also increased. However, adoption of nascent solutions—such as ammonia, wind-assisted propulsion, and onboard carbon capture systems (OCCS)—remains limited.
The survey also surfaced a strong desire for policies and regulations to create a level playing field, with nearly three-quarters of respondents identifying compliance mechanisms or financial incentives as the most critical policy objectives.
On 2 July, Dr Sanjay C Kuttan, Chief Strategy Officer, GCMD, and Calvin Khaing, Principal, BCG, presented insights from the report titled “Advancing Maritime Decarbonization: Insights from the GCMD-BCG Global Maritime Decarbonization Survey (2nd edition),” covering:
- The industry’s uptake of alternative low-carbon fuels, OCCS, and technological and operational efficiency levers
- The challenges and considerations shaping decision-making
- The key initiatives required to accelerate progress: consistent policies and regulations, economic incentives and financing, demand certainty for infrastructure investment, and efforts to close knowledge gaps—particularly among Conservatives and Followers
Participants posed a wide range of thoughtful and technically informed questions covering technology adoption, regulatory frameworks as well as market and infrastructure readiness. For a recap on the presentation and Q&A session:
Download webinar slides here:
Watch the webinar recording here:
