Highlights

• 74% of shipping companies in the Eastern Mediterranean are aligned or would align with IMO net-zero targets.
• At 62%, biofuels are the preferred alternative fuel, followed by hydrogen and ammonia, though concerns prevail over infrastructure.

According to the first wave of the METAVASEA survey, carried out from June to November 2024 by HELMEPA with support from Lloyd’s Register Foundation, there is a rising awareness of climate obligations but clear gaps in technology, infrastructure and training.

This survey, which gathered nearly 900 responses, was completed shortly before the International Maritime Organization’s Net-Zero Framework was adopted at MEPC 83.

The findings indicate that 74 per cent of shipping companies are either aligned or planning to align with IMO’s net-zero targets.

However, most attention is directed at direct emissions (73 per cent), while only 9 per cent monitor indirect emissions and merely 4 per cent track supply-chain emissions.

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When it comes to alternative fuels, biofuels topped as the most widely used or planned option at 62 per cent, followed by green hydrogen and ammonia at 25 and 19 per cent, respectively.

Even so, 42 per cent of respondents are worried about compatibility and infrastructure, while new technologies such as onboard carbon capture, wind and solar power, and air lubrication systems were met with scepticism about costs, readiness, and safety.

The survey also draws attention to conditions for seafarers. The most cited safety concern is crew fatigue, opined 70 per cent of respondents. Other issues include insufficient training (27 per cent) and limited familiarity with new fuels (26 per cent).

Training gaps are also rife, as 64 per cent reported no decarbonisation-related training in the past two years. When training does take place, it is mostly provided in-house, though external courses were rated more effective.

Respondents also pointed to the need for technical skills such as emissions monitoring, energy management, and fuel handling, alongside soft skills such as teamwork, leadership, and critical thinking.

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Differences in progress are visible depending on company size. Large fleets with more than 50 vessels are more advanced in emissions tracking and in adopting ESG strategies, whereas smaller operators cited resource limitations.

Meanwhile, ports and suppliers face their own difficulties. Only 20 per cent of ports currently provide VLSFO bunkering, despite the Mediterranean being designated as a SOx Emission Control Area from May 2025. While many ports are planning onshore power systems, 40 per cent have no decarbonisation initiatives underway, and 60 per cent lack emissions monitoring systems.

The survey also revealed a mismatch in public perception. Many citizens assume shipping accounts for 50–70 per cent of global emissions, but the real figure is closer to 3 per cent. At the same time, environmental concern remains high, as 97 per cent expressed worry over local impacts and 78 per cent described shipping decarbonisation as important for the Eastern Mediterranean marine environment.

The METAVASEA project, launched in 2023 and running until 2027, brings together six core partners, twelve associates, and more than sixty stakeholders.

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The aim is to map out the skills and infrastructure required for the green transition of the regional shipping sector. The survey will continue until 2027 in order to track how practices, technologies, and training evolve over time.

Ends/

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