(Commonwealth) _ The global shipping sector transports 90% of all trade and provides the globe with things including food, fuel, and pharmaceuticals while emitting 3% of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A fourth propulsion revolution is currently under way to help shipping move away from conventional fuels and toward alternative low- and zero-carbon fuels and technologies after a long history of wind, coal, and oil-fueled ships. The global community will be helped by this in achieving the objectives of the Paris Agreement.
The Maritime Just Transition Task Force was established to make sure that communities and seafarers remain at the center of shipping’s response to the climate catastrophe. The shipping sector has the chance to transition to a decarbonized future while creating excellent jobs for everyone and leaving no one behind. Through a strengthened social dialogue in line with the International Labour Organization’s Just Transition guidelines, governments, employers, and seafarers’ unions can all contribute to the just transition of the shipping industry.
Leading marine consultant DNV was hired by the Task Force to model three different decarbonization scenarios. With some estimates predicting as many as 800,000 seafarers, the new research offers insights into seafarer training and skills needed to support a decarbonized shipping sector.
A just transition entails greening the economy in a way that is as equitable and inclusive of all parties involved as feasible, generating respectable employment possibilities, and leaving no one behind. The principles for a Just Transition are outlined by the internationally acknowledged standards created by the International Labour Organization, and they are equally applicable in the context of the global shipping sector as it works to meet the 1.5 c temperature objective set forth in the Paris Agreement.
According to ILO recommendations, the green transition in shipping should protect already-existing, internationally recognized norms for decent work under the Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, as modified, while also creating high-quality jobs.
A just transition in the marine industry should be founded on social discourse and the ILO’s Just Transition standards. The change in shipping is anticipated to have an effect on a variety of stakeholders, including marine employers and employees, national governments, communities, suppliers, and customers.
It should be recognized that ensuring a fair transition in international shipping involves more than merely helping the marine workers. Equally significant are aspects like how the transition is funded, who benefits and from which regions and nations, and how local and coastal communities and supply networks are taken into account.
Furthermore, it is critical to stress that ensuring a just transition will hasten rather than slow the decarbonization process. The shift to a green economy is becoming more and more difficult due to shortages and gaps in skills. Building a zero-emission ship takes three years, while training a seafarer to become a global marine expert takes ten years in total.
The global shipping sector won’t have a skilled workforce to fuel its decarbonization if upskilling and retraining don’t take place promptly, which would eventually impede development. Plans for maritime decarbonization, such National Action Plans (NAPs) to address GHG emissions from ships, can already take into account investments in the development of the skills required for the shift in shipping, including the use of alternative fuels.
A serious issue in the marine sector is attrition and recruiting. The green economy offers fresh chances to draw new talent into the sector and boost skill sets. The green transition is already being used by several young green sectors in their hiring practices. To make sure the sector has a skilled workforce in place to support its decarbonization, this must be understood.
