Climate and public health campaign Ship it Zero says the results of its inaugural Shipping Decarbonisation Report Card put ‘retailers and carrier lines on notice to clean up their shipping problem.’
According to Ship it Zero, its new score card shows that few carriers and retailers are tracking their ‘devastating’ climate change emissions from global ocean shipping.
The score card is designed to rate major retailers and shipping carriers on their commitment to rapid decarbonisation and the development of zero-emission fuels for maritime shipping. Of the retailers scored, Amazon (D), Home Depot (F), Lowe’s (F), and Walmart (F) earned what Ship it Zero termed ‘failing grades’, while IKEA earned a B+ overall. According to Ship it Zero, ‘no retailer [is] acing their work on addressing their shipping pollution.’
Turning to the carrier lines, Mediterranean Shipping Company, Ocean Network Express, Hyundai Merchant Marine were ‘in the middle of the pack’ with Cs, APM-Maersk earned a B and CMA CGM scored a D.
According to the climate body, ‘carriers continue to be over reliant on false solutions like liquefied natural gas (LNG), a potent fossil fuel, and scrubbers.’
Commenting on the retailers and cargo carriers ‘grades’, Kendra Ulrich, Shipping Campaigns Director for Stand.earth, said: ‘Our report card clearly shows that, while some retailers and cargo carriers have made progress, there’s still a long way to go. Decarbonising the shipping industry is critical, so we are putting retailers and their cargo carriers on notice.
'We urge companies to commit to achieving 100% zero-emission, fossil-free ocean shipping by 2030 to ensure a healthier, cleaner tomorrow for our communities and our climate.’
Eric Leveridge, Ship It Zero Lead at Pacific Environment, noted that: ‘While the globe is burning, retailers and cargo carriers are doing little to address emissions from shipping their goods. Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walmart, Amazon and CMA CGM, in particular, are failing to clean up their shipping pollution while Mediterranean Shipping Company, Ocean Network Express, Hyundai Merchant Marine are barely passing.
‘Addressing the climate crisis is urgent and we have no time to waste, retailers and cargo carriers must act now.
The Shipping Decarbonisation Report Card – retailer and carrier grades
Retailers
Walmart: F
Target: F
Amazon: D
IKEA: B+
Home Depot: F
Lowe’s: F
Ashley Furniture: F
Living Spaces: F
Williams-Sonoma: F
Costco: F
Samsung: F
LG Electronics: F
Dell: F
Hewlett-Packard: F
VF Corporation: F
H&M: D
Adidas: F
Nike: D
Carriers
APM-Maersk: B
Mediterranean Shipping Company: D
Cosco: D
CMA CGM: D
Hapag-Lloyd: F
Ocean Network Express: C
Evergreen: F
Hyundai Merchant Marine: C
Yang Ming: F
Pacific International Lines: F
The score card published today follows the release of research by Ship it Zero in March which showed that, among US brands, ‘Walmart, Target and Home Depot were the largest ocean import polluters of 2021’.
Access the full Shipping Decarbonisation Report Card here
Image: Shutterstock
