Accelleron Calls for Cross-Sector Collaboration to Unlock Carbon-Neutral Fuels for Shipping

Accelleron has released its first maritime decarbonization report during London International Shipping Week (LISW25), urging the shipping industry to work with other hard-to-abate sectors to create sufficient demand for carbon-neutral fuels.

The report, titled Deadlock: What’s Stopping Shipping’s Carbon-Neutral Fuel Transition?, argues that while efficiency measures such as vessel retrofits and digital solutions could enable the global fleet to meet the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2030 targets, deeper decarbonization will depend on access to green hydrogen-based fuels.

According to the report, technologies capable of powering ships with carbon-neutral fuels are already available and supported by significant vessel orders. However, production of these fuels remains minimal, and costs remain high due to lack of large-scale demand and investment.

Accelleron’s analysis, which combines comparative data modelling with insights from senior shipping executives, concludes that shipping cannot resolve this challenge alone. Instead, it suggests that the sector should pool demand with industries such as steel, fertilizer, power generation, aviation, and cement. Together, these industries account for about 70 percent of global emissions and could drive the scale of demand needed to support large hydrogen production projects.

“It is clear from our research and analysis, and from the contributions of the many stakeholders who were good enough to share their expertise and insights for this report, that reaching net zero is not only about fuels or systems, but about forging a new paradigm of partnership,” said Daniel Bischofberger, Chief Executive Officer at Accelleron.

He added: “Fortunately, partnership has always been one of shipping’s great virtues. For thousands of years, shipping has connected cultures, carried science and progress across oceans, and overcome impossible odds through pragmatism, determination, and solidarity. As an industry, we have already proven, in a relatively short time, that we can prepare our global fleet for a decarbonized world. Now, it is time to partner with other sectors to secure the fuels we all need to carry us, finally, to that net zero shore.”

Key findings from the report include:

• Technical and operational efficiency measures could cut emissions by over 30 percent by 2030, exceeding the IMO’s target.
• By 2050, shipping alone will require between 100 and 150 million tons of green hydrogen annually.
• Shipping and other hard-to-abate sectors would collectively need around 500 million tons of green hydrogen each year, requiring an estimated $9 trillion in cumulative investment.
• Current global green hydrogen production projects account for about 38 million tons, supported by less than $320 billion in committed investment.

Accelleron said it hopes the report will contribute to advancing dialogue and action. The company argued that shipping, as the backbone of global energy and trade, can play a central role in accelerating the wider energy transition by helping to establish a viable hydrogen economy.