Can Ocean Freight Go Green? 5 Sustainable Strategies in Play

A Greener Port or Just Greenwashing?

In 2019, a major electronics brand proudly announced that its goods would now be shipped using “green ocean freight.” Press releases flew. Certifications were flaunted.

But behind the scenes? The vessels were still running on low-sulfur fuel. The routes hadn’t changed. The emissions barely budged.

The optics were clean.
The carbon? Not so much.

Fast forward to 2025, and the pressure is real. Ocean freight — responsible for over 80% of global trade by volume — contributes nearly 3% of total global CO₂ emissions.

The question now isn’t whether sustainability matters — it’s whether ocean shipping can evolve fast enough to matter back.

Can the industry that moves the world… also help save it?

Here are five strategies actively making ocean freight cleaner — not just in theory, but in practice.

Strategy #1 – Cleaner Fuels and Alternative Energy

In 2020, most vessels ran on bunker fuel so dirty it made diesel look eco-friendly. Today, that's beginning to shift — but the road is anything but simple.

Carriers are exploring:

• LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas): A cleaner-burning bridge fuel, but still fossil-based.
• Methanol & Biofuels: Drop-in options that work with existing engines — already in play for short-sea shipping.
• Hydrogen & Ammonia: Zero-carbon fuels with long-term potential but major cost and infrastructure hurdles.
   

Maersk, CMA CGM, and others are already testing dual-fuel ships and green methanol-powered vessels — a sign the industry is ready to invest in real change.

Cleaner fuel won’t fix ocean freight on its own — but without it, nothing else works.

Strategy #2 – Smarter Route Optimization

The shortest route isn’t always the cleanest.

In 2025, ocean carriers are using AI and predictive tools to rethink how freight moves across oceans — not just how fast.

Optimizations include:

• AI-based route planning to avoid delays, congestion, and storms
• “Slow steaming” — reducing vessel speed to cut emissions by up to 30%
• Navigation tech that factors in currents, weather, and port flow
   

Even trimming one knot from a vessel’s speed can dramatically reduce fuel consumption — without derailing the delivery schedule.

Route optimization is where sustainability meets operational efficiency.

Strategy #3 – Greener Vessels and Port Technologies

You can’t clean up shipping with old ships and diesel cranes.

That’s why carriers and ports are investing in next-gen equipment and smarter infrastructure.

Progress includes:

• Fuel-flexible vessels designed for methanol and hydrogen
• Shore power systems that let ships plug in instead of burn fuel while docked
• Electrified cranes and yard equipment replacing diesel-powered operations
• Retrofits and hull upgrades on legacy ships to meet new IMO standards
   

Port hubs like Rotterdam, Singapore, and Los Angeles are setting benchmarks with green corridors and smart port initiatives.

Cleaner fuel helps. But cleaner ports and ships make it count.

Sustainability doesn’t start with fuel — it starts with the right partners.

Talk to SJ Logistics about how we're building smarter, cleaner freight networks today.

Strategy #4 – Digitalization and Paperless Freight

It may seem small, but every form you digitize — every courier trip you skip — adds up.

Digital tools are reducing delays and emissions baked into old-school shipping practices.

Key changes include:

• Electronic Bills of Lading (eB/Ls) that eliminate paper waste and courier emissions
• Automated booking & customs platforms that reduce idle time
• End-to-end visibility tools that prevent reroutes and over-handling
   

A 2023 World Economic Forum report found that full digitization of shipping documents could cut CO₂ emissions by up to 13 million tons per year, largely by reducing port wait times.

Not all emission cuts come from engines — some come from keyboards.

Strategy #5 – Carbon Offsets and Transparent Reporting

Saying you're sustainable is one thing. Proving it is another.

Carbon offsets have become common — but they only work when paired with real measurement and real accountability.

Here’s how the best in the industry are approaching it:

• Offering verified offset programs tied to reforestation, renewables, or ocean conservation
• Using blockchain-based emissions tracking to log carbon by container, lane, and customer
• Publishing independently verified reports on reductions — not just offsets
   

According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), carbon intensity of shipping must drop 70% by 2050 to align with Paris Agreement goals — and companies know it’s time to get serious.

Modern shippers aren’t just asking if you offset — they’re asking how, where, and what’s changing upstream.

Final Thoughts – Going Green Without Losing Speed

Sustainability in ocean freight isn’t a marketing play anymore — it’s a mandate.

New fuels are gaining ground. Ports are going electric. Documentation is going digital. And companies that adapt are already seeing the return: lower costs, faster clearance, and higher customer loyalty.

Going green doesn’t mean slowing down.
It means moving with purpose — and partners who know how to make that possible.

At SJ Logistics, we collaborate with carriers, ports, and tech platforms leading the sustainability movement.
Whether you’re looking to meet ESG goals, reduce emissions, or simply ship smarter — we’re ready.

Talk to SJ Logistics today. Let’s make sustainable freight your next competitive advantage.