According to reports, Maersk, citing climate policy differences, withdrew its representatives from the board of the world's largest shipowners' association, the International Shipping Association.
Maersk, the second largest shipping carrier and one of the world's largest shipowners, said in a statement that the decision was made after a climate review of its membership.
ICS has long supported maintaining carbon regulation in IMO. In the seven years since the Paris Climate Agreement, IMO has made limited progress in controlling greenhouse gas emissions.
In recent years, ICS has pushed for a compromise plan to impose a small research tax of $2 per tonne of marine fuel managed by IMO, which would fund a 10-year zero-carbon shipping technology research program. The Maritime Environmental Protection Committee (IMO MEPC) has rejected the plan twice in the past year, and ICS is now continuing its internal discussions on industry-driven climate initiatives.
In contrast, Maersk has promised to achieve a net zero emission target by 2040, which is ten years ahead of the Paris Climate Agreement's target for non-shipping sectors.
Maersk's policy goals for the rest of the industry are equally ambitious: its CEO has called for a $450 per tonne fuel tax to close the price gap between VLSFO and future fuels, and has set up a research facility to help find practical solutions for decarbonization.
The gap between Maersk's goal and ICS's position seems to have attracted the attention of Maersk headquarters. The Danish shipowner giant has confirmed its withdrawal from its board membership in ICS and continues to push ahead with its own plans.
"We conduct an annual review of our members to ensure that the trade organizations we belong to are working in accordance with the objectives of the Paris Agreement and other key issues. Therefore, we will assess whether the methods they use and the efforts they make reflect the attitudes and values that are consistent with ours." Maersk said in a statement.
"From 2022 to the present process, one of the results achieved is that we have decided to support the strengthening of the [carrier-focused World Shipping Council] and invest internal resources for this."
Maersk is still a member of Danish Shipping (ICS Member Association) and BIMCO (Zero Emission Alliance), WSC and AP Maersk-McKinney Moller Zero Carbon Shipping Center.