DNV: Shipping’s Fuel Future Hinges on What Regulators Do Next

Regulatory uncertainty is becoming a major factor in shipowners’ investment decisions as the industry weighs vessels and fuel systems that will remain in service for decades, according to DNV’s latest Maritime Forecast to 2050.

The report examines four possible regulatory futures, ranging from full adoption of the International Maritime Organization’s Net-Zero Framework to outright rejection and prolonged political gridlock. Between those extremes are scenarios involving a delayed or revised framework and a greater role for regional regulations.

The uncertainty comes as the IMO prepares to return to the Net-Zero Framework in October, one year after governments