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As president of the UK Chamber of Shipping and fifth-generation head of illustrious family shipping business J. & J. Denholm that stretches back over 150 years, John Denholm doesn’t mince his words. “The whole decarbonisation process is the biggest challenge that humanity has ever faced,” he says. “We’ve spent the last 2,000 years squabbling with each other for economic advantage. Now we’ve got to work together, probably to our economic disadvantage, to save the planet.” The UK government has been at pain to stress its green credentials ahead of the COP26 climate change talks due to take place in Glasgow beginning November 1, and the domestic shipping industry is following suit. In mid-September, on the eve of London International Shipping Week, the UK Chamber issued a call for the IMO to double its decarbonisation goals and aim for net-zero emissions by 2050. We’ve got to work together, probably to our economic disadvantage, to save the planet “The world needs to know the shipping sector takes its responsibilities seriously and by setting the goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, people would be in no doubt,” Denholm said at the time. Down the years the Denholm Group has been no stranger to change. It moved from sail to steam before embracing diesel engines; had to rebuild its fleet after two world wars; and after a brief foray into tankers and ore carriers retrenched, into dry bulk carriers. Today it still owns three handysize bulkers, all Japanese-built and averaging just over five years in age, handled commercially by broking subsidiary Denholm Coates in London. Meanwhile, the group also diversified, first into shipmanagement where it arguably founded today’s modern third party business by taking over vessels belonging to Norwegian shipowner Erling Naess. Denholm Ship Management was later sold to Anglo-Eastern, in return for what is today a shareholding stake of some 26%. It then took a strategic decision to move sideways into other maritime-related business where it could own a controlling stake - namely logistics, seafoods and industrial services. Certain family values have remained constant throughout, however, namely the Denholm Standard which all 1,000+ of the group’s staff in 50 offices worldwide are obliged to sign up to. These values are integrity, fairness, upholding the law and respect – for fellow workers, communities and the environment. Which brings us back to current chairman John Denholm and his lobbying effort ahead of COP26 being hosted in his home city of Glasgow. “We’re doing terrible things to our planet and we’ve got to stop that,” he says, adding: “We need to get to net zero by 2050 at least.” That means starting work on zero carbon ships now, he emphasises, since today’s designs will be built in 2030 and will still be in the water in 2050. Developing viable non-fossil fuels will be the crux of the matter, he accepts, but he’s confident that the shipping industry possesses the right mindset to rise to the challenge. When he was president of BIMCO back in 2015 a number of shipping nations weren’t convinced of the need to do something, he recalls, but now the belief in the need for action is “almost universal”, he says, which is “a huge change”. Denholm’s own pick as a future fuel? “I’m a deepsea shipping man and I focus on ammonia as the way forward,” he replies, while acknowledging that the necessary technology and supply infrastructure simply isn’t yet available.

Climate champion

John Denholm spearheads UK call for shipping’s net zero by 2050

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