Maritime

Cargo owners and freight forwarders face considerable challenges in decarbonizing their marine transportation emission footprints. While ocean transportation is one of the most efficient modes for moving freight, this form of transportation is still energy intensive. And low and zero-emission deep sea transportation services are not yet widely available.

GMA is working closely with Aspen Institute’s Energy & Environment Program on the Zero Emissions Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA) to address these challenges.

ZEMBA

ZEMBA is a non-profit organization representing a first-of-its-kind buyers’ group within the maritime sector. Launched in 2023, ZEMBA aims to accelerate commercial deployment of zero-emission shipping services, enable economies of scale, and help cargo owners and freight forwarders maximize emission reduction potential beyond what any freight transport buyer could accomplish alone. ZEMBA is an initiative of Cargo Owners for Zero Emission Vessels, a platform specifically designed for corporate customers of the shipping industry to work collaboratively to accelerate the transition to zero-emission maritime shipping.

ZEMBA’s inaugural deal, announced in April 2024, will result in over 82,000 tonnes of avoided CO₂e emissions for members over a two-year period (2025-2026). ZEMBA is actively recruiting new members to participate in its next tender for deployment in 2027, which will seek to focus ZEMBA’s demand signal to catalyze production and use of e-fuels. ZEMBA members are offering committed demand to build confidence among investors, carriers, ship owners, and producers of zero-emission fuels and renewable energy to scale the development and adoption of these solutions.

Learn more about ZEMBA here.