Target, Electrolux and Philips among host of brands signing up to 2040 zero emission shipping commitment

More mega brands including giant US retailer Target are signing up to a movement to ensure goods are moved on clean, green ships in less than a generation.

Cargo Owners for Zero Emission Vessels (coZEV), an initiative created October last year by the non-profit Aspen Institute, announced yesterday the addition of Beiersdorf, Dupont, Electrolux, ETTLI Kaffee, Moose Toys, Ohana Beverage Company, Philips, REI Co-op, Sisley, and Target to its 2040 ambition statement, a call to action from cargo owners to progressively switch all of their ocean freight to vessels powered by zero-carbon fuels by 2040. These multinational companies join Amazon, Brooks Running, Frog Bikes, IKEA, Inditex, Michelin, Patagonia, Tchibo, and Unilever, bringing the total to 19 signatories.

“In less than a year, coZEV has changed the narrative surrounding decarbonisation in maritime shipping,” claimed Dan Porterfield, President and CEO of the Aspen Institute. “Through coZEV, cargo owners are kickstarting a clean energy transition in this critical industry, and the Aspen Institute is proud to support them and help enable their success.”

While applauding the likes of Target for making this public commitment a number of NGOs said these leading brands could drive change even faster.

Environmental groups Pacific Environment and Stand.earth, which lead the Ship It Zero campaign, have called on major retail brands to become leaders in their sector by taking immediate action to reduce their climate and health-harming ocean pollution and switching entirely to zero-emissions ships by 2030 — a decade earlier than coZEV’s commitment.