Report: Container Shipping GHG Emissions Drop

Technology company VesselBot has released the December 2023 edition of its report titled "Decoding Maritime Emissions - Highs, Lows, and Green Leaders across global ocean routes."

The report’s key findings include:

Downward Trend in Emissions: The average emissions per kg/tonne have improved since last year. Between January and July, 2023 emissions have dropped by 12% compared to the same period last year. This is a big reduction compared to 2022 where the emissions were up 17% compared to the same period (Jan-Jul) in 2021.

When comparing the emissions by trade lane, North Europe to the Middle East showed the best improvement in 2023 (Jan-Jul) compared to the same period in 2022 with a 75% drop in emissions. The route from the Mediterranean to the Indian Subcontinent had the highest increase in emissions for the above period with a 90% increase.

Improvements by Vessel Groups: Three vessel groups, namely VLCS, ULCS, and Post Panamax II, exhibited significant reductions in emissions in 2023. Each group demonstrated a reduction of over 20% compared to the emissions recorded in the previous year.

Emissions by Country of Departure: In the year 2023, New Zealand recorded the highest average emissions per tonne among countries of loading at 222kg per tonne of cargo shipped. Conversely, the United Arab Emirates recorded the lowest at 71kg per tonne.