Shipping Industry Debates Biofuels as Sustainable Alternative Amid Environmental Concerns

The next round of the alternative fuel debate is heating up as major shipping lines and NGOs, including T & E, are calling for the exclusion of biofuels from the IMO’s list of green alternatives to traditional fossil fuels. They argue that biofuels could be unsustainable and potentially do more harm than good. A study by Cerulogy commissioned by T & E suggests that nearly a third of global shipping could run on biofuel by 2030, up from less than 1 percent currently. However, the availability of waste biofuels is limited, and major carriers are already investing in biofuels derived from used cooking oil and animal fats.

The report highlights that the majority of biofuels for shipping will likely come from palm and soy, which could lead to increased vegetable oil prices and competition for food supplies. Countries like France, Norway, and the Netherlands have already restricted or stopped using palm and soy biofuels domestically. T & E suggests that the global shipping industry should focus on green fuels made from hydrogen instead of burning crops, as palm and soy biofuels have devastating effects on the climate and require vast amounts of land.

The report also warns that the fuel-intensive shipping industry could require up to 34 million hectares of farmland in 2030 to meet the increased biofuel demand, potentially impacting food supplies. Palm and soy biofuels are responsible for significantly higher carbon emissions compared to traditional shipping fuels, especially when considering deforestation and land clearance. The release of the report coincides with the start of the Intersessional Working Group on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships (ISWG-GHG) ahead of the upcoming IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) meeting in April, where decisions on cutting shipping emissions will be made.

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