TOWARDS NATURE POSITIVE FOR THE OCEAN PATHWAYS FOR CORPORATE CONTRIBUTIONS SECTOR SUMMARY: SHIPPING SUMMARY FOR THE SHIPPING SECTOR

The document outlines how the shipping industry, which handles 80%–90% of world trade, can transition from 'business-as-usual' to a nature-positive model. It identifies key threats posed by the sector, including GHG emissions, noise pollution, and invasive species, and proposes a framework for corporate action based on the AR3T (Avoid, Reduce, Restore/Regenerate, Transform) hierarchy. Specific recommendations are provided for shipbuilding (e.g., sustainable steel and noise reduction), ship operations (e.g., avoiding Marine Protected Areas and managing vessel speed), and shipbreaking (e.g., adhering to the Hong Kong Convention and restoring impacted coastlines).

• The shipping industry is critical for global trade, transporting 80%–90% of it, but its standard operations significantly threaten the ocean through noise pollution, oil spills, invasive species, marine mammal strikes, harmful chemicals, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
• While the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is pursuing a roadmap for full decarbonization by or before 2050, the document argues that additional efforts are required to address the sector's broader impacts on nature.
• The document recommends the AR3T Action Framework—Avoid, Reduce, Restore and Regenerate, and Transform—as a conservation hierarchy for companies to manage their nature-related impacts and dependencies.
• For shipbuilding, nature-positive pathways include avoiding inefficient designs, reducing noise pollution through updated technology, and advocating for sustainable steel production.
• In ship operations, companies are encouraged to avoid shipping routes that pass through Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) or breeding and migratory areas for endangered, threatened, or protected (ETP) species, and to regulate vessel speed to reduce wildlife collisions.
• Shipbreaking activities should avoid the conversion of natural habitats and must comply with the EU Ship Recycling Regulation or the Hong Kong Convention to prevent pollution and habitat degradation.
• Corporate transition to nature-positive operations is presented as an economic opportunity, with World Economic Forum analysis suggesting such actions could create 395 million jobs and US $10.1T in new business opportunities by 2030.

APA

Carrow, A. W., Lynch, L., & Kroner, R. G. (n.d.). TOWARDS NATURE POSITIVE FOR THE OCEAN PATHWAYS FOR CORPORATE CONTRIBUTIONS SECTOR SUMMARY: SHIPPING SUMMARY FOR THE SHIPPING SECTOR. WWF International. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/648/4bfae3gofd_NPOP_Shipping_Sector_Summary.pdf

Chicago

Carrow, Alanna Waldman, Lauren Lynch, and Rachel Golden Kroner. TOWARDS NATURE POSITIVE FOR THE OCEAN PATHWAYS FOR CORPORATE CONTRIBUTIONS SECTOR SUMMARY: SHIPPING SUMMARY FOR THE SHIPPING SECTOR. WWF International, n.d. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/648/4bfae3gofd_NPOP_Shipping_Sector_Summary.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Carrow |first1=Alanna Waldman |last2=Lynch |first2=Lauren |last3=Kroner |first3=Rachel Golden |title=TOWARDS NATURE POSITIVE FOR THE OCEAN PATHWAYS FOR CORPORATE CONTRIBUTIONS SECTOR SUMMARY: SHIPPING SUMMARY FOR THE SHIPPING SECTOR |publisher=WWF International |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/648/4bfae3gofd_NPOP_Shipping_Sector_Summary.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{carrowndtowards, author = {Carrow, Alanna Waldman and Lynch, Lauren and Kroner, Rachel Golden}, title = {{TOWARDS NATURE POSITIVE FOR THE OCEAN PATHWAYS FOR CORPORATE CONTRIBUTIONS SECTOR SUMMARY: SHIPPING SUMMARY FOR THE SHIPPING SECTOR}}, institution = {WWF International}, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/648/4bfae3gofd_NPOP_Shipping_Sector_Summary.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }