S4 Ep26: Steven Jones, CEO, Sustainable Shipping Initiative

This week’s ship.energy podcast features Arsenio Domínguez, who began his four-year term of office as the Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) at the start of 2024. The podcast was recorded in the wake of the 81st session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) and, in conversation with ship.energy’s contributing editor, Mark Williams, Dominguez underscores the importance of the IMO when it comes to establishing global regulations for the shipping sector. Dominguez also gives his views on: • How the shipping industry is progressing towards 2030 and 2040 interim emissions targets, that were adopted in MEPC 80, as well as the 2050 net zero goal.  • The Carbon Intensity Indicator. • How the IMO can retain its global primacy in shipping in the face of regional shipping regulations and emissions regimes. • His personal hopes for the industry between now and the end of the decade.

The first ship.energy podcast in April features Christophe Tytgat, Secretary General, SEA Europe  (Shipyards and Marine Equipment Association) and CESA . Christophe is a professional lobbyist with an extensive network in the European Institutions, in European lobbying associations and in the shipping and transport industry.  He is an expert in European policy and legal matters as well as in shipping-related issues with a particular focus on the following domains: shipping policy; social affairs; state aid; EU competition; security; customs; maritime law, and taxation. He has a Master of Arts degree in East European Studies from Leuven University In conversation with Contributing Editor Mark Williams, Christophe discusses his work at SEA Europe and CESA and offers his views on likely policy developments and how/if EU and IMO policies could align. He also addresses the current fragmentation and complexity of maritime funding in Europe.

Fuel cells take centre stage on this week’s ship.energy podcast. In conversation with Mark Williams, Johan Burgren, Business Manager at PowerCell Sweden AB, discusses their role in the decarbonisation of the RoPax and ferry segments – and their potential for scalability. Johan has been with PowerCell since 2017 and before that worked at Volvo from 1998. PowerCell Sweden AB was founded in 2008 as an industrial spin-out from the Volvo Group. Since 2023, the company’s share (PCELL) has been listed on Nasdaq Stockholm.   Johan is also Vice Chairman of the Board of the Zero Emissions Ship Technology Association (ZESTAs), a role he has fulfilled since 2021.

This week’s ship.energy podcast guest is Michael Barnard and in conversation with Mark Williams he discusses his work projecting scenarios for decarbonisation 40-80 years into the future and his recent publications around maritime decarbonisation. Whether it's refuelling aviation, grid storage, vehicle-to-grid, or hydrogen demand, his work is based on the fundamentals of physics, economics and human nature, and informed by the decarbonisation requirements and innovations of multiple domains. His leadership positions in North America, Asia and Latin America enhance his global point of view. Michael publishes regularly in Forbes, CleanTechnica and other outlets on decarbonisation, business and policy. He is host of the podcast Redefining Energy - Tech, a channel within the award-winning Redefining Energy ecosystem that European investment bankers Laurent Segalen and Gerard Reid created. His research has been published in books and peer-reviewed journals. He is regularly invited to speak at academic, technical and business conferences as well as corporate events.

In the first ship.energy podcast of 2024, Mark Williams talks to Hans Judek, President and CEO of J.E. Access Ltd. Hans discusses his CAMBIO fuel project in which he works with partners from the Americas, Europe and Asia on the conversion of biowaste from agriculture into a synthetic liquid marine fuel with an asphaltic byproduct which captures and stores carbon, thus making the process carbon negative.  In the conversation, he also addresses the relative advantages and disadvantages in using methanol, ammonia, hydrogen and nuclear as energy for shipping’s propulsion. Hans is an entrepreneur with experience over more than four decades in Japan's trade and technology transfer world. Over the last 15 years he has mainly engaged in developing projects for renewable energy production in Asia, India and Africa.

Steven Jones returns to the ship.energy podcast this week to discuss the strategic priorities of the Sustainable Shipping Initiative. As its recently appointed CEO, Steven explains how this multi-stakeholder collective is combining policy research with positive actions that its members can make within key focus areas: Oceans, Communities, People, Transparency, Finance, and Energy.  Steven and ship.energy contributing editor Mark Williams discuss the increasing transparency requirement for shipping companies, particularly in regard to fuel decisions and emissions reporting, and the role that digitalisation is having in pushing the transparency agenda.  They also address the conversations at COP28, and Steven answers the question, does the shipping industry actually need a phase out date for fossil fuels to focus activity? Steven Jones brings over 30 years of maritime industry expertise to his role as Chief Executive Officer of the Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI). A former seafarer, Steven has worked across maritime fraud investigations, insurance, Vessel Traffic Services (VTS), and maritime security. He leveraged this frontline experience in roles with the UK Government as a specialist in services, ports and technology, and is the Founder of the Seafarers Happiness Index.  He is motivated by a passion for the sea and a desire to highlight the vital role that seaborne trade, transport, and infrastructure play in connecting the global economy. He believes in promoting sustainability and innovation to ensure the maritime sector continues enabling prosperity worldwide.

This week’s ship.energy podcast features two guests - Toni Stojcevski, General Manager, Project Sales & Development at Wärtsilä, and Tim Scarbrough, Director of Maritime at Ricardo. In conversation with Mark Williams, Toni and Tim discuss the ‘what, where, and when’ in relation to decarbonisation technology and regulations. The discussion covers engine developments, including for dual-fuelled vessels operating on ammonia or methanol; how marine engine efficiency can support CII compliance, and the future of the internal combustion engine in the shipping sector. Toni Stojcevski is a professional within marine engineering and business development. He has worked in various positions in Wärtsilä for 22 years and has gained a broad experience in the marine industry, especially within the field of medium speed combustion engines and alternative fuels.  In 2013 Toni graduated from the Executive MBA on the University of Gothenburg. Between 2014-2016, Toni was responsible for the “Methanol development project” covering new product development, application and market strategy, and the delivery and conversion of the four main engines onboard Stena Germanica, which was the first ship in the world to operate on methanol as a fuel. Tim Scarbrough has directed many high-profile techno-economic and policy studies for policymakers, such as the European Commission and the International Maritime Organization. He’s also worked with individual ports and shipping industry organisations on their journeys to reduce their environmental impacts. His clients value that his expertise comes from policy insights, strategy delivery, and implementation projects, drawing on cross-sectoral insights and an evidence-driven approach.  He has expertise in low/zero carbon fuels, their production pathways, energy efficiency / emission abatement techniques, emission inventorying, life cycle assessment and the policies regulating the maritime sector. Above all, he’s passionate about decarbonising the maritime sector.