ASCO has presented a detailed plan for fleet decarbonization in line with the updated International Maritime Organization (IMO) Strategy for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions. As part of the first stage, scheduled for 2024-2027, ASCO will decommission 65 obsolete vessels and commission 17 new, energy-efficient ships. These measures will reduce the company’s emissions by 25%, and the use of ships with greater cargo capacity and fuel efficiency will reduce them by another 9%.
In the second stage (2027-2030), ASCO will begin building and acquiring ships powered by methanol and electric propulsion. During this period, it is planned to commission 17 new vessels, including methanol tankers and harbor tugs with electric propulsion. Eight ships will also be modernized to switch to alternative fuels. These measures will help to further reduce emissions by up to 10%, given that methanol reduces CO2 emissions by 7%, and SOx and NOx emissions by 99% and 60% respectively.
The third and fourth stages cover the period up to 2050 and provide for a complete transition to zero-emission ships. Thus, ASCO intends not only to achieve the IMO goals, but also to accelerate their implementation through financial support and innovative technologies.