New Coalition Dedicated to Cleaner Energy Throughout Transport and Logistics Announced

FRANCE – WORLDWIDE – With the drive to change society's energy supply to more sustainable alternatives a group of heavyweight names have formed the latest coalition striving to attain more power with less environmental damage in the fields of transport and associated logistics.

The aim of the coalition is to drive the development of energy sources and technologies in order to curb global warming, reduce air pollution, and protect biodiversity. The members will pool their R&D efforts in pursuit of three key goals, namely:

• To unlock a more extensive portfolio of clean energy sources
• To lower energy consumption per kilometre-equivalent for transported goods
• To eliminate a substantial proportion of harmful emissions being released into the atmosphere

The target is to achieve genuine technological breakthroughs with tangible results by 2030, and with Finnish specialist technology firm Wärtsilä heavily involved in the project President & CEO Jaakko Eskola commented:

“The shipping industry’s transition to cleaner, more sustainable energy use is a movement in which we at Wärtsilä continue to play a leading role. Through the development of smart technologies, research into alternative future fuels, and our holistic approach to raising efficiencies in all aspects of shipping and port operations to create a Smart Marine Ecosystem, we have shown our commitment to promoting decarbonisation. We are, therefore, proud to be part of this coalition which perfectly aligns with our purpose to enable sustainable societies with smart technology.”

The is a major French presence throughout the other coalition members, unsurprising for a body launched in late 2019 during the Assises de l’Economie de la Mer conference, and which has received the backing of France’s President, Emmanuel Macron. The initial findings of the coalition’s work will be presented in Marseille in January 2021 at the IUCN World Conservation Congress.

Besides Wärtsilä the other members are Amazon Web Services, Carrefour, CMA CGM Group, Cluster Maritime Franҫais, Crédit Agricole Corporate Investment Banking, Engie, Faurecia, Michelin, Schneider Electric, and Total, and Roger Holm, President of Wärtsilä Marine Power concluded:

“Among the projects to be tackled will be the development of hydrogen and bio fuels, and expanding the use of biogas and synthetic gas fuels and hybrid solutions, areas where we are already active. Collaboration with qualified partners and customers is central to our Smart Marine approach to creating a more sustainable and efficient shipping industry. Membership of this coalition emphasises our commitment to working in close cooperation with other industry leaders to achieve real progress towards a cleaner and better future.”

Photo: The coalition's objective is to unite in order to accelerate cleaner energy transition in transport and logistics.