ENVIRONMENTAL ALERT! 1 MARITIME VEHICLE = 3,500 LAND VEHICLES

Integration of new technologies in warehouses to achieve a green warehouse, implementation of hybrid and electric vehicle fleets, use of software for route planning and optimization, use of recyclable and biodegradable materials to achieve sustainable packaging. These are some of the actions that are being implemented by the different logistics players to achieve net zero and contribute to the care of the environment.

We hear a lot of these implementations in road or last mile transportation, yet shipping is responsible for moving about 80% of the world's goods. So, what are the challenges of shipping in a sustainable world?

Of the total global greenhouse gas emissions, between 2% and 3% are emitted by shipping, which is why the sector has begun to look for solutions and alternatives that help reduce GHG emissions, contribute to environmental protection, and ensure a competitive advantage.

Making logistics processes more efficient

One of the greatest challenges, and the one in which most progress has been made, is to achieve a more efficient logistics process in maritime transport in all its links. The optimization and reduction of times in the loading and unloading of goods allows ships to arrive and depart more quickly, which helps to reduce GHG emissions at ports. This optimization and reduction have been achieved with port robotization, which speeds up ship loading and unloading.

On the other hand, companies have opted to implement specialized route planning software, which allows route optimization. This is not an easy task for companies, since the investment in the software and the necessary infrastructure can be very expensive, in addition to the cost of training personnel so that the team can use the software effectively.

The implementation of new technologies in general presents several challenges for companies, since they must be compatible with their current system, and this often requires extra resources that were not contemplated. On the other hand, there have been many cases of resistance to change on the part of the work team, which hinders the adoption of new technologies.

Containers falling into the sea

Data provided by the World Shipping Council estimate that approximately 1,566 containers are lost each year, which is a red hotspot for maritime and environmental pollution.

Even though ports make sure that dangerous goods are loaded on the second floors of ships to prevent these containers from falling, the fall and loss of containers at sea is extremely polluting. On the one hand we have all the merchandise that travels inside the containers that once they fall off the ship, many times they open due to the pressure and depth of the sea and the merchandise ends up on the shores of the sea, and on the other hand we have the contamination caused by the containers at sea thanks to the toxic materials used to protect the corrosion of the steel they are made of.

One example is the case of Lego pieces. In a storm in 1997, a ship coming from Japan lost several containers loaded with Lego pieces, the ship ended up docked in Southampton, England and the merchandise was written off as lost. Sometime after the accident, Lego pieces began to appear on the shores of the sea, and 27 years after the accident, small Lego pieces are still floating near the seashore. This accident not only caused the contamination of the sea with plastic pieces but has also put at risk the lives of several seafarers who have choked on them.

Sustainable ships

One of the challenges for the path to energy transition is to reduce emissions generated by shipping, as a study prepared by the International Maritime Organization states that the maritime sector emits 1 billion tons of GHGs per year.

“Did you know that ships can pollute up to 3,500 times more than a land vehicle and that a ship produces as much sulfur as 500 million cars?” (SafeLink Mexico, 2023, para.4).

Having a sustainable fleet of ships is one of the biggest challenges facing the maritime industry. Companies such as Maersk have begun to use methanol in their vessels as a fuel source, which generates much less emissions, although its cost is very high.

Foreign companies, mainly in Spain, have focused their studies on finding solutions to reduce emissions caused by the maritime fleet.

These were some of the challenges presented by the maritime industry in an energy transition that seeks net zero in the short/medium term, both private companies and the public sector have taken a hard work for the sector to generate a positive impact on the environment. We continue reading!

‍