Ship It Zero: Amazon, IKEA and shipping companies must accelerate the use of e-fuels

The Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA), an alliance of freight buyers that includes major retailers — like members Amazon, IKEA — announced that it is accepting bids for its e-fuel-focused tender. Bids will be due in spring 2025 and the tender is focused on stimulating the first commercial deployment of e-fuels in the maritime sector. The tender will enable more than 40 member companies to abate approximately 500,000 metric tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.

The following statement is from Jonathan Butler, Pacific Environment’s Climate Campaign Manager for Corporate and lead representative of the Ship It Zero campaign:

“We congratulate ZEMBA on the start of its second tender process. Its continued emphasis on e-fuels, and the interest from corporations who will bid, show an important signal that the industry is ready to invest in zero-emission shipping. We are looking forward to the results of this current tender process as e-fuels, at scale, get closer to becoming a reality.

“Just this month, renowned scientist James Hansen said that we are likely overshooting 2 degrees Celsius warming and that some global tipping points are likely imminent because our planet might be even more sensitive to greenhouse gases than scientists predicted. We will see a cascading series of global tipping points, from collapsing ice sheets to catastrophic sea-level rise if we don’t meet the climate crisis head-on.

“Meanwhile, the shipping industry had a significant surge in profits in 2024, with some estimates recording $26.8 billion in the third quarter alone.The industry has the money to transform itself and set itself on an immediate trajectory to align shipping with the U.N.’s climate goals, but it continues to put profits over people and the planet.

"This is why ZEMBA’s action to partner with retail corporations can be a powerful lever and send a market signal to the container shipping industry. We continue to call on retailers and ocean shipping companies to accelerate the timeline for e-fuels and truly address the climate crisis through emission reductions. The pollution frontline and fenceline communities are facing each day demands urgent action from the shipping industry.”