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A value-chain perspective on climate action

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A value-chain perspective on climate action

What is a tonne of fuel worth to you? What is a tonne of CO₂ worth? These aren’t abstract questions. They are the conversations we have with customers every day – because, in the end, sustainability only sticks when it creates clear operational and financial value.
By Sofia Mavropoulou, Head of Sustainability at Hempel
A few weeks ago, at New York Climate Week, we joined leaders from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), IKEA and DS Norden to discuss sustainability through the lens of the entire value chain. The conclusion was clear: progress doesn’t happen in silos. It happens when cargo owners, shipowners, regulators and technology providers come together and align on priorities, timelines and investments.
Yes, the buzz was rightly around alternative fuels - biofuels, methanol and beyond. But a full energy transition of the shipping industry will take time as infrastructure and scale develop. Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency reminds us that fewer than 5% of vessels have adopted readily available energy-efficiency technologies.1 The clock is ticking, and we cannot afford to leave proven solutions on the shelf.

1 https://www.iea.org/commentaries/how-the-shipping-sector-could-save-on-energy-costs

Scalable solutions are here - let’s use them

Take hull performance. Hempel has been developing hull coatings for more than a century. Over the last 50 years, silicone-based solutions have transformed performance by preventing fouling and reducing drag. That transformation did not happen overnight. It took thousands of lab tests, countless sea trials and, most importantly, close collaboration with customers willing to measure, learn and iterate with us.

The result? Our most advanced marine coating has now been applied more than 5,000 times and can deliver up to 21% fuel savings compared with standard coatings, thereby cutting costs and emissions in a single move. This is not a pilot; it’s proven, scalable practice. 

Essentially, collaboration made the difference. Working with leading shipowners and operators, we co-developed and tested technologies before market introduction, closed performance gaps, optimised application processes and adapted to evolving operational realities. Together, we didn’t just meet the standard - we raised it. That is a blueprint the wider industry can adopt and scale.

Taking on the future together

So, what’s next for silicones? Until now, advanced hull coatings have typically been applied on vessels after years of service, during predictable dry-dock cycles, every five years: dock, repaint, return to service. By applying silicone coatings during the construction phase of a new vessel, the value chain expands, and shipyards become pivotal partners in driving sustainability from day one. 

Aligning technical approaches, coordinating complex schedules and committing to rigorous trials are essential to enabling smooth adoption. Why does this matter? Because delivering fuel, cost and CO₂ savings from the very first voyage is not incremental improvement - it is a true step-change for shipping, for sustainability and for the energy transition.

The adoption case

In the marine sector, fewer than one in twenty vessels uses technologies already available to cut emissions.  That must change.

At Hempel, change starts with dialogue. When cargo owners make bold commitments, it sends a clear signal across the value chain: greener transport isn’t optional; it’s expected. Our role is to provide proven, verifiable solutions, ensuring that impact is measured in ways our customers can trust. By bringing cargo owners, shipowners and technology providers together, we can create the transparency that makes efficiency gains count: technically, commercially and reputationally. That recognition is what accelerates adoption. It’s what turns innovation into transformation.
If we’re serious about meeting our climate targets, we must rethink how adoption happens. That means deeper partnerships across the value chain, clearer alignment on priorities, timelines and investment - and action with purpose and urgency. Incremental technology advances help, but the real opportunity lies in scaling today’s proven solutions. 

In other words: let’s scale what already works, while we build what comes next. That is how we reduce emissions faster, strengthen competitiveness and create lasting value - for customers, for industry and for the environment.