Freight News, Logistics, Sea

Net-zero Push Stalls as Supply Lags Readiness

[ May 11, 2026   //   Gary Burrows ]

A new report highlights a growing disconnect in maritime decarbonization: vessels are increasingly ready to run on low-carbon fuels, but scalable fuel supply remains largely absent, creating what the study calls a “deadlock” in the transition to net zero.

The report from Accelleron finds shipping emissions reached record levels in 2024, even as the industry invested heavily in efficiency and alternative-fuel vessels. Nearly half of newbuild tonnage is now capable of running on alternative fuels, yet carbon-neutral fuels account for only a small fraction of projected demand through 2030.

At the core of the issue is green hydrogen, identified as the critical feedstock for scalable fuels such as e-methanol and e-ammonia. Shipping alone will require 100 million to 150 million tons annually by 2050, competing with aviation, steel and other sectors for a total global demand of up to 600 million tons.

The report outlines five structural barriers slowing progress: fragmented fuel pathways that dilute investment, geographically concentrated fuel production, limited access to green finance, regulatory lag and infrastructure constraints at ports.

Fuel economics remain a major constraint. Producing sufficient green hydrogen will require trillions in investment and massive renewable energy capacity, with maritime fuel demand expected to rise 67 percent by 2050 as trade volumes grow.

While efficiency gains could deliver more than 30 percent emissions reductions by 2030, they are viewed as a near-term bridge rather than a long-term solution. Less than 40 percent of the global fleet has implemented available efficiency technologies.

The report concludes that shipping cannot solve the fuel gap independently. Instead, it calls for cross-sector coordination, with ports playing a central role in aggregating demand and anchoring investment in hydrogen production and distribution networks.

Without that alignment, analysts warn, the industry risks missing both regulatory targets and broader global decarbonization goals tied to maritime trade.