The maritime transport industry is at greater risk than ever of missing its zero carbon fuel targets by 2030. This issue is primarily related to legal uncertainties over the past 12 months. A new report released today during New York Climate Week examines the progress of this sector towards the zero carbon goal by 2030.
Key Points of the Report
This report, titled "Climate Performance in Transport: Progress Towards the 2030 Transformation," tracks the advancements of the maritime transport industry towards the target of 5 to 10 percent of fuels used in international transport from zero carbon sources by 2030. This estimated amount for the use of zero carbon fuels (SZEF) aims to achieve the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) greenhouse gas strategy goals by 2023 and ultimately, the zero carbon target by 2050.
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Challenges and Achievements
The report indicates that mixed progress is being made towards this goal, with several indicators showing the negative impacts of economic and political unrest, the Hormuz crisis, energy security, supply chain concerns, and legal uncertainties stemming from the non-adoption of the Zero Carbon Framework (NZF) last year.
However, in five key areas assessing industry progress (technology and supply, demand, finance, policy, and civil society), multiple achievements have been recorded. Last year, the first ammonia fuel facilities and marine tests were conducted, the number of ports offering methanol fuel increased from 19 to 29, and methanol loading capacity tripled. Additionally, improvements in the maritime transport financial portfolio in alignment with climate goals reached an all-time high.
Despite these advancements, other key areas for achieving the 2030 target (especially in demand, finance, and policy) have either stagnated or worsened since the last report. With weakening demand signals, order registrations have declined, and the number of SZEF-capable ships has dropped from 9.5 percent to 5.7 percent. Furthermore, the issuance of sustainable debt specific to maritime transport decreased from $3.4 billion in 2024 to $3.0 billion in 2025.
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