Crew change travel significantly contributes to shipping emissions, yet remains largely unaccounted for. Understanding and addressing this is crucial.
Crew change travel is a major but largely unaccounted source of emissions in shipping, Pippa Ganderton of ATPI Halo wrote for Splash.
Shipping's decarbonisation efforts have focused on vessel performance, propulsion, and fuel efficiency. However, Scope 3.6 emissions from the global movement of seafarers for crew changes are a significant contributor to the industry's climate footprint.
Millions of flights are taken annually to move crew between home and vessel. These emissions rarely feature in carbon accounting, despite their scale. While Scope 3 emissions are not yet regulated, disclosure regimes and investor expectations are evolving.
Measurement is the first step. Without data, operators cannot build sustainability strategies. Options to reduce emissions are limited by vessel schedules and airline availability, but incremental gains are possible through direct flights or by choosing carriers with stronger sustainability credentials.
Sustainable aviation fuel offers a reduction mechanism, though cost and availability remain barriers. Operators may start with small SAF investments, covering five or ten percent of travel, and scale over time. Auditors view phased approaches positively when backed by clear reporting.
Where reductions are not possible, compensation strategies can strengthen environmental profiles. Blue carbon projects, such as Pakistan's Delta Blue mangrove restoration, have drawn strong engagement from shipping firms, aligning with ocean health and climate resilience.
As vessel emissions fall through advances in propulsion and fuels, the relative share of crew travel emissions will grow. Companies that measure, reduce, and compensate for these emissions will be better placed to meet regulatory and stakeholder demands.
