Less Fuel, Better Shipping: Rethinking Maritime Decarbonisation

How can Europe decarbonise shipping while avoiding fossil fuel lock-in, reducing energy demand, and building a resilient maritime future? 

Thursday 1st October 9.30am - 11.00am - online (register below)

Shipping is often presented as a sector that can decarbonise primarily through a switch from fossil fuels to alternative fuels. However, growing evidence suggests that this narrative overlooks critical challenges related to fuel availability, infrastructure requirements, energy demand, biodiversity impacts, and the resilience of global supply chains, including volatility of both fuel availability and pricing driven by amongst others global geopolitics and system “shocks”. 

At the same time, Europe is making major decisions regarding maritime infrastructure, ports, shipping fuels, industrial policy and ocean governance. These decisions will shape the future of European shipping for decades to come. 

This event seeks to explore a broader question: how can Europe decarbonise shipping in a way that is not only climate-compatible, but also resilient, less energy-dependent, resource-efficient and aligned with planetary boundaries? 

The discussion will bring together experts working on shipping decarbonisation, wind propulsion, electrification, port development and maritime policy to examine how reducing fuel demand can complement the transition to zero-emission fuels while avoiding new dependencies and infrastructure lock-ins. 

The event aims to move beyond traditional debates around fuel choice and instead explore how different solutions can work together to build a resilient shipping system. 

Join us for an interactive online event to challenge the assumption that fuel switching alone can deliver a sustainable maritime transition. 

Organised by Seas At Risk