Shipping Has a Built-In Problem: It Moves Fuel and Burns Fuel

Nearly 40% of what ships carry—4.5 billion tons yearly—is coal, oil, gas, and petrochemical products. Ships burn those same fuels to move them across oceans. This creates a trap: the industry can't easily switch away from oil because it's both its cargo and its engine. Ships built today will still be operating in 2050, so replacing the fleet won't happen fast enough to meet climate goals.