Maersk steps down from ICS board citing lobby group’s lack of green ambition 

In a slap to its position as the authoritative, unified voice on all matters shipping, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has seen one of the most famous names in the business step down from the lobby group’s board over its lack of green ambition.

Maersk, Denmark’s largest shipping company, has decided the ICS is no longer sufficiently ambitious enough in its green goals and has decided to focus its attention on the liner lobby group, the World Shipping Council (WSC). 

Maersk reviews its membership status with all the trade bodies it is signed up to once a year to ensure they lobby in alignment with the goals of the Paris Agreement as well as other key issues. 

One outcome of the 2022 process, Maersk states on its website, is its decision to support the strengthening of the WSC and dedicate internal resources to it. 

“Our choice to step down from the ICS Board should also be seen in this context,” the Danish carrier stated. 

“Multi-vocal by definition, trade associations are always an expression of compromise between their members. As such, Maersk will not always be 100% aligned with their positions and retains, like any other member, its ability to choose a different path,” the company stated.

The ICS failed last month to persuade International Maritime Organization member states to adopt ICS’s $5bn decarbonisation R&D fund proposal and at its subsequent annual general meeting, formulated a new clean energy marine hubs strategy to coordinate and join decarbonisation efforts from ports, shipping companies, and energy firms. 

Replacing the Danish representation on the ICS board is Jacob Meldgaard, the CEO of Torm.