Shipping’s carbon emissions climbed by 23 million tons in the first half of this year, partly as vessels took longer routes to avoid attacks in the Red Sea, reports Ajot.
6% increase
The 6% increase from a year earlier — equal to the annual amount spewed out by six coal-fired power plants — pushed the industry’s emissions to about 450 million tons, according to data from Marine Benchmark, which uses ship-tracking data to calculate the figures. The jump was biggest among container vessels, which emitted roughly 15% more over the period.
One of the contributing factors has been attacks by Yemen’s Houthi militants, who for months have targeted vessels in the Red Sea area in protest at Israel’s war with Hamas. That has forced ships to sail around South Africa instead of through the Suez Canal, adding thousands of miles to voyages.
Non-binding goal
The International Maritime Organization has set a non-binding goal for the sector to hit net zero greenhouse gas emissions by mid-century. But reaching that target will require a big transformation of an industry that still largely relies on fossil fuels.
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Source: Ajot
