The Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) is a member-led group of leaders catalysing change across the maritime ecosystem.

Since 2010, SSI has brought together shipowners, operators and managers; banks and financial stakeholders; cargo owners; classification societies; non-profits; ports; and service providers to advance environmental, social, and socioeconomic goals for a sustainable shipping industry.

SSI’s work looks at sustainability from a systems perspective across the six vision areas outlined in the Roadmap to a sustainable shipping industry: Oceans, Communities, People, Transparency, Finance, Energy.

We believe that:

  • Change is accelerating and urgent action is needed.
  • Sustainability issues are interconnected and require a systems approach.
  • Investing now will deliver for companies, society and the planet in the long-term.

SSI Members

Catalysing change for a sustainable shipping industry

Humanity is facing a triple planetary crisis: climate change, air pollution, and biodiversity loss. These crises, their causes, and their consequences are deeply interconnected and require a systemic approach to solutions. Shipping is a critical sector for the global economy and must play an active role in order for the world to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, to limit warming to well below 1.5°C.

Systemic change requires widening the sector’s scope of focus, from reducing GHG emissions to creating a system that is just, equitable, and sustainable.

The Sustainable Shipping Initiative works with its members, partners, and stakeholders to identify and shine a light on emerging issues across environmental, social, and socioeconomic sustainability topics – from green steel for shipping, to seafarers’ welfare, to sustainability criteria for marine fuels.

Through our work, we seek to influence and inspire stakeholders across the shipping ecosystem to take action for a more resilient and sustainable shipping industry. Although no one stakeholder can solve these systemic challenges alone, there is action we can all take to create an industry that:

  • Proactively contributes to the responsible governance of our oceans and protection of the marine environment;
  • Provides safe, healthy, and secure work environments so that people want to work in shipping, where they can enjoy rewarding careers and achieve their full potential;
  • Is recognised as a trusted and responsible partner in the communities we live in, work and operate;
  • Drives performance improvements and enables better, sustainable business decision-making through transparency and accountability;
  • Develops financial solutions that reward sustainable performance and enable large-scale uptake of innovation, technology, design, and operational efficiencies;
  • Promotes the responsible and efficient use of resources;
  • Demonstrates leadership in decarbonising on a pathway aligned with the Paris Agreement, eliminating lifecycle GHG emissions through improved efficiency and the use of sustainable, zero carbon fuels and technologies.

Bringing together leading and like-minded stakeholders

SSI members span the maritime ecosystem, bringing together shipowners, operators and managers, charterers and cargo owners, ports and service providers, as well as environmental and social NGOs. We believe that collaboration across stakeholder groups and across sectors is crucial – and that sustainability is an arena for partnership. Members can learn from one another and engage with like-minded peers, working together to advance the sustainability agenda for the sector as a whole.

Learn more about how we work on a day-to-day basis and read about our current working groups.