Shipping Transports and Burns Fossil Fuels, Locking In Decarbonization Lag

Nearly 40% of global maritime freight tonnage—approximately 4.5 billion tons annually—is coal, oil, gas, and petrochemicals. The sector burns these same fuels to move them, reinforcing dual dependencies that make decarbonization structurally harder than in other transport modes. Oil products still comprise over 99% of shipping's total energy demand. Vessels with 25-year lifespans ordered today will likely operate beyond 2050, making fleet turnover alone insufficient to meet net-zero timelines.