Study Buddy (Challenger): Asia is lagging behind Europe in the transition to green shipping
- While Asian companies account for half of global vessel tonnage, European firms have made more progress in defining decarbonisation goals
- This page is for students who want to take their reading comprehension to the next level with difficult vocabulary and questions to test their inference skills
An aerial view of the Chinese port of Zhoushan in Ningbo, Zhejiang province. Photo: AFPContent provided by British Council
Read the following text, and answer questions 1-9 below:
[1] Trade can be a powerful tool to combat the climate crisis, diffusing much-needed green goods and technologies around the world. But there can be no green trade without green shipping. Container ships carry nearly 11 billion tonnes of goods a year – accounting for more than 80 per cent of global trade. But since 2000, global carbon dioxide emissions from the maritime industry have also increased by 42 per cent.
[2] East and Southeast Asia have contributed the most to this, accounting for 43 per cent of the sector’s total carbon emissions today. China alone is responsible for around 30 per cent, as it boasts seven of the world’s top 10 container ports. While shipping only accounts for about 3 per cent of total global greenhouse gas emissions today, this share could surge to 17 per cent by mid-century if no action is taken.
[3] The shipping industry is preparing for the (melting) iceberg ahead: the International Maritime Organization (IMO) recently set a more ambitious target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by around 2050. At the same time, 13 of the world’s 30 largest shipping companies have committed to net zero between 2040 and 2060. But not all companies are going full speed ahead.
[4] Though Asian companies account for half of global vessel tonnage, European companies have made more progress in defining decarbonisation goals and establishing fleet-renewal projects. But climate change is a global crisis, and every company needs to get on board. After all, decarbonising the shipping industry is a race against time that requires massive investment.
[5] The concentration of shipbuilding know-how and engineering capacity in Asia is one factor to consider. China, South Korea and Japan manufacture 98 per cent of global container ship capacity. While they have taken the lead in developing zero-emission vessels and the associated infrastructure, surging demand from cruise liners and governments expanding their naval budgets has pushed new orders to record highs, further increasing construction and delivery times, as today’s vessels are more complex to manufacture. This could create production bottlenecks and slow decarbonisation plans.
[6] The shipping industry also needs to accelerate its shift away from fossil fuels, which accounted for 94 per cent of fuel consumption last year. The shift to net zero will depend on increasing the use of alternative fuels. As of 2022, biofuels accounted for less than 0.5 per cent of shipping energy demand. But the share of low-emission fuels will need to reach nearly 15 per cent of total energy demand by 2030.
[7] While methanol has gained a lot of interest as a marine fuel, and ports around the world have been working to make it available, for the moment such projects are mainly found in China, Australia, the Middle East and Europe. This means that only companies operating in these geographies have access to alternative fuels. Decarbonising the shipping industry is clearly no easy task. And that makes a coordinated international effort by both regulators and the private sector all the more urgent.
Source: South China Morning Post, November 29
Questions
1. How has the maritime industry’s carbon footprint changed in the last two decades according to paragraph 1? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. What does “this share” in paragraph 2 refer to? ___________________________________________________
3. In paragraph 3, some large shipping companies are responding to the climate crisis by …
A. urging the International Maritime Organization to review its emissions target.
B. helping their smaller counterparts to reduce their greenhouse emissions.
C. pledging to achieve net zero emissions between 2040 and 2060.
D. setting up an International Maritime Organization to address the issue.
4. Which phrase in paragraph 4 emphasises the urgency of decarbonising the shipping industry?
______________
5. Based on your understanding of paragraph 5, why is Asian shipbuilding expertise essential for the decarbonisation of the shipping industry? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. What does the shipping industry need to turn towards to achieve next zero greenhouse gas emissions, according to paragraph 6? ______________________________________________________________________________________________________
7. According to paragraph 7, access to alternative fuels is currently limited to companies operating in …
A. Southeast Asia, North America, South America, and Africa.
B. Eastern Europe, South America, Central Asia, and Africa.
C. China, Australia, Oceania and North America.
D. Australia, the Middle East, China and Europe.
8. Which of the following strategies is mentioned in the text for decarbonising the shipping industry? (2 marks)
A. addressing production bottlenecks in Asian shipyards
B. investing in new technologies and vessels with next-generation engines
C. increasing use of alternative fuels
D. all of the above
9. In which section of a shipping magazine are you most likely to find this article?
A. environment and sustainability
B. maritime rules and regulations
C. shipbuilding and design
D. navigation and port operations
Answers
1. Since 2000, global carbon dioxide emissions from the maritime industry have increased by 42 per cent.
2. proportion of global emissions caused by shipping
3. C
4. race against time
5. Asia dominates container ship construction, with China, South Korea, and Japan manufacturing 98 per cent of global container ship – as such, their technological advancements in zero-emission vessels and infrastructure are crucial for industry –wide decarbonisation. (accept all similar answers)
6. make more use of alternative fuels (accept all similar answers)
7. D
8. D
9. A