ABS Advisory Council Gains Valuable Perspectives on the Future of Maritime during Annual Meeting
The maritime industry is facing significant uncertainty shaped by changes in the regulatory framework and evolving factors such as safety, fuel availability, scalability, and ship-to-port infrastructure. This message was conveyed during the annual ABS Advisory Council Meeting on November 14, where presentations were made by the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and the Administrator of the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD).
ABS, a leading classification society, reported securing the top position in the global order book share and expanding the fleet to 285 million gross tons with over 11,400 assets. The organization remains a prominent voice in the industry, providing insights into emerging technologies and maintaining industry-leading port state and fleet safety performance.
Christopher J. Wiernicki, ABS Chairman and CEO, emphasized these points, drawing attention to the key takeaways from ABS’ recently released Outlook: “Our findings show there is a significant amount of work to be done between now and 2050 if we hope to hit net zero, but crucially, our research shows it can be done, and maps out a pathway for the industry to get there.”
As part of a broader global marine and offshore outlook, Christopher J. Wiernicki provided insights into several key aspects. These included the current energy security challenge versus the longer-term energy transition, the global efforts to reduce the cost of alternative fuels, the significance of retrofitted carbon capture and energy efficiency technologies, ABS’ contributions to the U.S. government’s clean energy initiatives, and the establishment of green shipping corridors. Wiernicki also highlighted the importance of forging new relationships between government entities, government-industry collaborations, and owner-charterer partnerships and improving interactions between ships and ports to collectively achieve net-zero ambitions.
Admiral Linda Fagan delivered an address representing the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), emphasizing: “The Coast Guard and ABS have a history of collaboration and partnership that has served us well in ensuring maritime governance, safety, and security will continue to be front and center going forward.”
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Maritime Administrator Ann Phillips said: “MARAD is modernizing our Nation’s maritime transportation network with a particular focus on recruiting, training, and retaining mariners along with key investment plans for our ports, waterways, and infrastructure. We thank ABS for its safety leadership as the industry navigates the challenges and opportunities of decarbonizing and introducing new technologies and future fuels.”
During the council meeting, members were provided with a global shipbuilding overview. Additionally, they received updates on the International Maritime Organization’s revised Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reduction Strategy and the associated regulatory framework.
The discussions also highlighted the importance of developing a comprehensive playbook outlining short-, mid-, and long-term compliance strategies. The information source for these updates is ABS.
