In 2024, shipping emissions in Europe hit an all-time high, increasing by 13% compared to previous years, marking the highest level since mandatory reporting began in 2018. This rise occurred even as seaborne trade related to the EU saw a decline, according to a report from the European Federation for Transport and Environment, known as Transport & Environment. The increase in emissions was largely due to disruptions in the Red Sea, which forced ships to take longer routes, highlighting how sensitive maritime emissions are to operational changes.
Containerships were the biggest contributors to this increase, with their emissions rising by 46%. This spike was influenced by an 18% increase in average sailing distances and a 3% rise in operational speeds, along with the need for more vessels to cover these extended routes. The data showed that shipping emissions are very sensitive to speed; for instance, a 1% rise in speed can lead to a 3% increase in emissions.
“Last year’s record pollution demonstrates that even when trade decreases, disruptions can still push up emissions from ships,” said Agathe Peigney, a maritime transport policy officer at Transport & Environment. “With the insufficient IMO deal being paused, the carbon price from the ETS has become more important than ever.”
Among shipping companies, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company, the largest container ship operator in the world, was identified as the top polluter in the EU, emitting 15.6 million tonnes of CO2. Grimaldi Group was the largest polluter among non-container operators with 3.8 million tonnes, and Carnival led the cruise companies at 2.5 million tonnes.
The report also highlighted a persistent issue with fossil fuel transport emissions. Despite Europe increasingly adopting renewable energy, carriers of fossil fuels still made up about 20% of all EU shipping emissions, a figure that has not changed since 2018. While emissions from LNG carriers decreased in 2024 after a surge following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, emissions from crude oil transport returned to levels seen in 2019.
Peigney concluded, “Transporting fossil fuels is a double climate threat. Reducing our dependence on fossil fuels would eliminate a significant portion of shipping emissions, but that still leaves over 80% of emissions that need to be tackled. We will need to focus on efficiency and hydrogen-based fuels to achieve our goal of zero emissions.”
The EU Emissions Trading System for shipping, which is now nearing its second operational year, has shown good results so far, with about 99% compliance noted in its first year. The system, which started covering maritime emissions in 2024, requires polluters to pay for their greenhouse gas emissions through a cap-and-trade approach.
Transport & Environment pointed out that the upcoming review of the ETS is a chance for the EU to enhance maritime climate regulations by expanding the system to ensure all polluters pay their fair share.