Shipping's Climate Reckoning: The IMO’s $36 Billion Pivot - CleanTechnica

The article discusses the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) recent decision to implement carbon pricing on shipping fuels, marking a significant $36 billion shift toward decarbonizing the shipping industry. Tristan Smith, director of UMAS and a professor at University College London, provides expert insight into the complex and uncertain landscape of maritime decarbonization. He highlights the industry's struggle to identify a clear dominant alternative fuel, noting that once-promising options like LNG, methanol, and hydrogen have lost favor due to cost and feasibility concerns. The nuclear option has also resurfaced, but consensus on the best path forward remains elusive. Smith emphasizes that the future fuel pathway will largely depend on current choices made by the shipping sector, as the types of ships built will influence fuel production infrastructure development. This creates a feedback loop where fleet decisions and fuel availability shape each other. Many industry players are hesitant to commit to a specific fuel type without clearer evidence of supply infrastructure, leading some to hope biodiesel might fill the gap despite