Biden administration releases new U.S. Maritime Decarbonization Action Plan

December 16, 2024

WASHINGTON (December 16, 2024) — On December 11, President Biden announced a U.S. Maritime Decarbonization Action Plan that builds on the foundations presented in the administration’s U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization. The maritime decarbonization plan provides near- and long-term strategies for decarbonizing the maritime sector and identifies key actions that the federal government and private sector can take to overcome barriers to the deployment of net-zero solutions. The overall goal of the plan is to fully decarbonize the U.S. maritime sector to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The plan includes all segments of the maritime sector, including ocean-going vessels like bulk carriers and containerships, commercial harbor craft, coastwise vessels and inland waterway vessels like tow and tugs, ferries and offshore supply vessels, as well as recreational boats. Major advancements in zero-emission shipping are already happening: In June, Crowley, ABB Marine, California Air Resource Board (CARB) Member Takvorian and others christened the first fully electric tugboat in the U.S. at the Port of San Diego. And in July, the first hydrogen fuel cell ferry in the U.S. launched at the Port of San Francisco.

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Ninety percent of all goods travel by ship — both for the U.S. and globally. Greenhouse gas emissions from maritime shipping account for 3% of total global emissions and are projected to increase rapidly over the coming years, up to 17% by 2050 in our increasingly globalized economy. If international shipping was a country, it would rank sixth on the list of largest greenhouse gas emitters globally. “The Biden administration stands at a pivotal moment to leave a historic climate and economic legacy by championing the transition to a zero-emission shipping industry. Although we believe the plan could have been more ambitious, by fulfilling its maritime decarbonization commitments, the U.S. can lead by example, proving to the world that it is serious about driving a global shift toward cleaner, sustainable shipping while bolstering economic growth and innovation,” said Antonio Santos, Federal Climate Policy Director, Pacific Environment. ###

About Pacific Environment

Pacific Environment works to stop climate change and ensure healthy ecosystems around the Pacific Rim for the benefit of people and our planet. We campaign to stop climate change by working to fast-track key industries toward zero carbon emissions. We focus on major global industries that have received less public attention but whose carbon emissions are significant and still growing: the maritime shipping and the petrochemical (plastics) industries.

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