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Voluntary Reporting in Decarbonizing Container Shipping: The Clean Cargo Case

Author

Listed:
  • Amandine Godet

    (Department of Technology, Management and Economics, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark)

  • George Panagakos

    (Department of Technology, Management and Economics, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark)

  • Michael Bruhn Barfod

    (Department of Technology, Management and Economics, Technical University of Denmark, 2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark)

Abstract

Led by the UN’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the EU, the shipping industry struggles to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to align with the Paris Agreement. Clean Cargo, the leading voluntary buyer–supplier forum for sustainability in the cargo shipping industry, developed some years ago a methodology to calculate and report the GHG emissions from containerships. The recently introduced carbon emission requirements by the IMO and EU have reinforced the members’ interest in a new Clean Cargo reporting mechanism that enables a more effective and efficient monitoring of the decarbonization progress. A better understanding of the user needs accompanied by due consideration to the regulatory environment and the technological advances are key to build this new framework. This paper builds on the case of the Clean Cargo initiative to (1) identify the stakeholders’ expectations and motivations for voluntary disclosure of environmental information, and (2) discuss the governance challenges of voluntary initiatives. A questionnaire was designed and deployed to investigate the current uses of Clean Cargo data and the information sharing among different stakeholders. Voluntary schemes can speed up the decarbonization process by proposing standards accepted by all actors of the global value chain. Clean Cargo members envision reporting on absolute GHG emissions per shipment as the way forward.

Suggested Citation

  • Amandine Godet & George Panagakos & Michael Bruhn Barfod, 2021. "Voluntary Reporting in Decarbonizing Container Shipping: The Clean Cargo Case," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-18, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:15:p:8521-:d:605022
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lijun Tang & Victor Gekara, 2020. "The Importance of Customer Expectations: An Analysis of CSR in Container Shipping," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 165(3), pages 383-393, September.
    2. Wuisan, Lindsey & van Leeuwen, Judith & (Kris) van Koppen, C.S.A., 2012. "Greening international shipping through private governance: A case study of the Clean Shipping Project," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(1), pages 165-173, January.
    3. George Panagakos & Thiago de Sousa Pessôa & Nick Dessypris & Michael Bruhn Barfod & Harilaos N. Psaraftis, 2019. "Monitoring the Carbon Footprint of Dry Bulk Shipping in the EU: An Early Assessment of the MRV Regulation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(18), pages 1-19, September.
    4. René Taudal Poulsen & Stefano Ponte & Judith van Leeuwen & Nishatabbas Rehmatulla, 2021. "The Potential and Limits of Environmental Disclosure Regulation: A Global Value Chain Perspective Applied to Tanker Shipping," Global Environmental Politics, MIT Press, vol. 21(2), pages 99-120, Spring.
    5. Jane Lister, 2015. "Green Shipping: Governing Sustainable Maritime Transport," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 6(2), pages 118-129, May.
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