Climate change
The world is facing a climate emergency. Taking action to decarbonise logistics is our greatest responsibility, and where we can have the greatest impact. We are now prioritising our actions to reach net zero as fast as possible.
Why decarbonisation matters
In 2018, we led the climate response in our industry with a commitment to decarbonise our shipping operations by 2050 and to develop scalable solutions to help the entire sector to reduce its footprint. We have now accelerated our actions to prove that while shipping is a so-called hard-to-abate industry, low climate impact solutions are already available.
Our roadmap to deliver net zero by 2040
Our ambition
Priorities and actions
We provide innovative solutions to help our customers decarbonise their supply chains. Our ECO Delivery offerings currently use green fuels at sea, and we plan to include the entire value chain soon.
Our decarbonisation solutions also include an Emissions Dashboard, which empowers customers to measure their carbon footprints across Maersk-controlled and non-Maersk controlled logistics.
Investing in green fuels and technologies
We are currently investing in innovative new fuels, vessels, battery technologies, electrical trucks, network planning software, information sharing technology, and many more areas where we see opportunities to decarbonise supply chains.
Progress on shaping a market for green fuel
- 170% year-on-year growth in demand for Maersk ECO Delivery services
- 13 vessels capable of operating on green methanol ordered in 2021
Maersk ECO Delivery: supporting our customers’ climate commitments
We are working closely with a broad range of customers to further develop our green fuel offerings. Maersk ECO Delivery substitutes fossil fuels with low-carbon alternatives and harnesses our new technologies and vessels to provide an easier choice for customers looking to ship their cargo more sustainably.
Explore green logistics solutions from Maersk.
Mapping our carbon footprint
A detailed overview of our emissions footprint is critical for guiding our decarbonisation efforts. As can be seen below, the sourcing, trading and use of marine fuels is the primary source of our greenhouse gas emissions.
In 2021, as part of our work to expand our decarbonisation targets to cover all emission scopes, we implemented improvements to our methodology and data collection for scope 3 emissions calculations.
Climate related risk
The physical effects of climate change are already evident in the form of heat and water stress, precipitation, storms, and rising sea levels.
In 2020, a scenario analysis conducted to understand the implications of global warming (1.5, 2, 3 and 4 degree scenarios) confirmed the urgency of mitigating the transition risks to our own business, as well as seizing the opportunity to support our customers as they work to decarbonise their own supply chains.
The need for a just transition
At Maersk we understand that our ambitious and accelerated decarbonisation strategy may have unintended impacts on peoples’ rights and livelihoods, and that new supply chains (for example biofuel sourcing) may affect communities.
For these reasons we are working to ensure that the energy transition is a just transition. We will adhere to international human rights standards, understand and mitigate any negative impacts and engage in policy debates, as well as multi-stakeholder initiatives that work to ensure that no one is left behind.
Advocating for policies that accelerate change
While our size and reach enable us to impact the level of decarbonisation in the shipping industry, we are dependent on policy frameworks and commitments to further this process.
A package of regulatory decarbonisation measures is needed to drive a faster switch from black to green solutions. Market-based measures, such as the pricing of CO₂ emissions, should be integral to any such package.
Maersk Sustainability Report 2021
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