Reducing your browsing speed is a of the most effective ways to win the challenge of decarbonisation of maritime transport, but the shipping is underestimating it. This is highlighted by the study "Going slower to reach net zero faster: Unlocking the full value of speed reduction through port call optimisation" published today by the Global Maritime Forum, which analyses the risks associated with the underestimating the potential of speed reduction navigation, particularly when combined with port ports of ship, as a tool to cut the fuel consumption and maritime emissions.

The study shows that by reducing waiting times, there is no necessary in ports allows ships to complete the same number of trips at lower speeds, without forcing the shipping companies to expand their fleet, achieving greater emission reductions and lower costs. In particular, the paper highlights how improving operational efficiency of travel offers a triple benefit: reduction in the consumption of and operating costs, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and preparing the ground for future adoption of the most expensive zero-emission fuels. The study is based on the analysis of the Bank's marginal reduction cost curve World Cup, published in October 2025, to demonstrate that The optimization of port calls is a practical and policy makers and industry should actively pursue. The Global Maritime Forum anticipated that A future in-depth study will further analyze this looking at how concrete examples of reduction of speed and optimization of airports port workers.

The study recalls that the World Bank's analysis includes different levels of decrease in browsing speed, with reductions of 10% in the moderate scenario and 30% in the maximum energy efficiency scenario and specifies that, if the upper limit of 30% can be optimistic for many ships, the analysis is conservative in relation to other important aspects. As recognized by the World Bank, the full potential reduction in speed is probably underestimated because the analysis assumes that the time of the docking of ships in port is fixed and this simplification reflects both the limitations of data due to the scarcity of literature on the subject both the limited scope of the study, and focuses on quantifying efficiency measures at the level of individual ships rather than on changes system-wide operations, such as airport optimisation port workers. Based on this hypothesis, slower navigation increases the total travel time. To keep the same production transport, the model therefore requires a number major of ships. For example, as illustrated by the World Bank, a ship that spends 25% of its time in port would spend about 30 more days at sea in a reduction scenario 10% speed. Maintain the same production of would therefore require an estimated increase of about 8% fleet size. In practical terms, this it is equivalent to approximately one additional ship for every 12 ships in the fleet, increasing both the costs for new shipbuilding and reducing the benefits deriving from the reduction of fuel consumption. The study by the Global Maritime Forum notes that this is a simplified representation of real operations. In reality, In fact, a significant part of the time spent in port is not productive. Ships often spend hours or days waiting at anchor before you can dock at the quay due to schedules and limited coordination between ports and ships. A In this regard, a recent study has shown that ships can spend 4-6% of their annual operations, equal to 15-22 days, waiting outside the ports, with the consequent consumption of unnecessary fuel and emissions. It is - underlines the GMF study - of a systematic waste that is not only An operational problem, but also an obstacle to decarbonization shipping. When considering the impact of the reduction in browsing speed, in fact, the accounts do not return: if a ship reduces speed without change in the planning of port calls, the total time of increased voyage and additional ships are required to maintain the transport capacity, weakening the economic logic of the measure. The GMF study finds that, therefore, the key to Unlocking the full potential of speed reduction of navigation lies in combining it with the optimization of ports of call in particular through just-in-time arrivals, with ships regulating speed during the voyage in so as to arrive exactly when the quay is available.

The study shows that this optimization involves other advantages, including that of reducing polluting emissions ports, including nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide, and the reduction of hull fouling, as ships stopped in port are more subject to the accumulation of organisms on the hull that increases strength and reduces efficiency of the ship.

The study concludes by noting that, although it is not yet defined the regulatory framework for the decarbonisation of shipping by the International Maritime Organization, the maritime transport should not remain at a standstill in waiting for the development of regulatory and transition pathways fuels. Many operational efficiency measures can already be today generate fuel savings and emissions at cost relatively low, using existing technologies and better coordination between ports, port terminals and ships. The study admits whereas there are challenges to overcome, including contractual barriers, conflicting incentives that discourage action and changes that require coordination between multiple actors, but these - specifies the document - should not be insurmountable, in how much exceeding them and achieving operational efficiency represents an important opportunity for the sector to achieve emissions reductions in the short term, while supporting the long-term transition to zero-emission fuels.