New data from the Sea Cargo Charter Annual Disclosure Report shows that 19 of the 34 shipowners and charterers participating in the global climate alignment initiative reduced their emission intensity over the past year.
Signatories remain on average 12 % behind the minimum international climate goals set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) for 2024, up from a 9 % shortfall the prior year.
More than 90 % of the 2024 data was verified by third parties, compared with 50 % a year earlier.
The 34 reporting companies represent approximately 18 % of global wet and dry bulk cargo transported by sea in 2024.
While eight signatories improved their climate alignment scores, operational and chartering challenges such as port draft limitations, adverse weather, inefficient routing, and reliance on short‑term charters contributed to continued alignment gaps.
As described by Engebret Dahm, vice chair of the Sea Cargo Charter and CEO of Klaveness Combination Carriers, the Charter supports "data‑driven and transparent approach" to climate alignment and is “a stepping stone toward achieving the IMO’s Greenhouse Gas Strategy and Global Transport Zero Framework.”
The report was produced by the Global Maritime Forum, which provides secretariat services with expert support from UMAS and the Smart Freight Centre.
The Sea Cargo Charter was launched in October 2020 by the Global Maritime Forum as a voluntary framework for cargo owners and charterers to assess alignment with climate goals set by the IMO. It initially included charterers only and expanded in April 2024 to fully integrate shipowners under a common methodology aligned with the IMO’s 2023 revised GHG strategy, introducing interim targets for 2030 and 2040 alongside a decarbonisation trajectory toward net‑zero by around 2050.
The Global Maritime Forum is an international non‑profit foundation headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, and serves as secretariat for multiple maritime transparency initiatives, including the Sea Cargo Charter, the Poseidon Principles and the Poseidon Principles for Marine Insurance. It convenes industry leaders, policymakers, NGOs and experts to foster sustainable long‑term development in global seaborne trade.