On 10 November, during the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye, the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), energy research organisation RMI and other partners launched the Maritime Electrification Breakthrough Goal, calling for electricity to account for at least 20% of international shipping’s final energy demand by 2035. This would represent approximately 2 exajoules (EJ), equivalent to around 556 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity.

The initiative has gained support from more than 30 maritime-related organisations, including the Port of Long Beach, the Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA), the Maritime Battery Forum, the European Onshore Power Supply Association (EOPSA), the World Resources Institute (WRI), as well as energy technology companies, research institutions and environmental organisations.

The target aligns with COP31’s broader global electrification ambition, which aims to increase electricity’s share of global final energy demand from just over 20% to 35% by 2035, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and accelerating energy transitions across sectors.

Unlike the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) mandatory emissions regulations, the Maritime Electrification Breakthrough Goal is a voluntary industry initiative. It focuses on increasing the direct use of electricity in international shipping through battery-powered vessels, onshore power supply (OPS) and supporting energy infrastructure.

How Can Shipping Achieve 20% Electrification by 2035?

International shipping’s final energy demand is currently estimated at approximately 10 EJ, with the vast majority still supplied by fossil fuels consumed in internal combustion engines. Taking into account growth in global trade and transport demand, alongside improvements in vessel energy efficiency, overall energy demand is expected to remain broadly stable or increase slightly.

Against this backdrop, meeting around 20% of international shipping’s final energy demand through direct electrification by 2035 is considered technically plausible, provided that deployment and supporting infrastructure expand sufficiently.

The 20% target does not mean that 20% of the global fleet must become fully electric. Instead, it means that electricity should directly meet at least 20% of international shipping’s final energy consumption.

The target covers direct vessel electrification and electricity supplied to ships at berth through OPS. Electricity consumed by domestic shipping, port and terminal operations, landside freight transport, or the production of renewable fuels such as green methanol and green ammonia is excluded from the calculation.

Achieving the target will primarily depend on expanding battery-powered shipping and the deployment of shore power infrastructure.

According to Maritime Battery Forum data cited in the initiative, more than 1,600 battery-powered vessels were operating worldwide as of 7 November 2026, including fully electric and hybrid ships.

In terms of technical potential, research cited in the initiative estimates that vessel segments representing approximately 30% of maritime energy consumption could be technically electrified by 2030. Electrification could also be economically advantageous for an estimated 90% of the technically electrifiable fleet.

However, this does not mean that 90% of the global fleet could economically switch to battery propulsion. Electrification remains better suited to vessels operating on shorter, relatively fixed routes with frequent port calls. Large oceangoing vessels continue to face constraints related to battery capacity, operating range and charging infrastructure.

In addition to electricity used during voyages, shore power represents another important opportunity.

Research cited in the initiative estimates that approximately 10% of international shipping’s greenhouse gas emissions occur within port areas. Replacing onboard fuel-based electricity generation with shore power during port stays can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants.

Under favourable conditions, direct electrification of shipping and port energy use could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to approximately 98%, while also cutting particulate matter, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulphur oxides (SOx). Actual emissions reductions depend on the energy mix and carbon intensity of the local electricity grid.

At the same time, long-haul international shipping will continue to require liquid fuels, while the production of renewable fuels such as green hydrogen and green ammonia will also require substantial amounts of renewable electricity.

Previous research by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) suggests that achieving net-zero emissions from international shipping by or around 2050 could require up to 3,000 TWh of renewable electricity annually, including electricity needed to produce future renewable marine fuels.

Direct vessel electrification and the development of renewable marine fuels are therefore not mutually exclusive, but represent two interconnected pathways in shipping’s energy transition.

Over 30 Organisations Make Five Commitments to Accelerate Deployment and Infrastructure Investment

To support the 2035 target, participating organisations have made five commitments covering knowledge sharing, public-private cooperation, workforce development, financing and annual progress reviews.

The organisations will share technical knowledge and practical experience, including publishing reports and project findings to accelerate electrification deployment and reduce learning costs.

They will also participate in public-private platforms, pilot projects and demonstrations to advance technological readiness, global standardisation and policies that encourage electrification across different regions.

Another commitment focuses on ensuring a just transition by supporting skills development and training for seafarers and port workers, including those whose existing roles may be affected by the energy transition.

The participating organisations also intend to work with financial institutions to improve access to capital for large-scale electrification infrastructure projects in ports and shipping.

Finally, they have committed to reviewing progress annually until 2035, including improving data collection, establishing baselines and tracking global progress towards the target.

Coordinated planning across vessels, ports, terminals, electricity grids, renewable power generation and landside freight transport will be essential to expanding maritime electrification.

Ports will need not only to meet vessels’ electricity requirements during port calls, but also to coordinate investments in shore power, vessel charging, grid expansion and future renewable electricity supply with utilities, energy providers and shipowners.

Key commercial barriers include high upfront investment costs, uncertainty over future electricity demand and infrastructure utilisation, electricity price volatility, lengthy infrastructure development timelines, and unclear arrangements for allocating costs and risks among ports, terminal operators, utilities and shipowners.

For ports, large-scale investments in shore power and charging facilities require substantial initial capital, while financial returns depend on actual vessel demand and infrastructure utilisation rates. For shipowners, the availability of reliable and competitively priced electricity along their trading routes will directly influence investment decisions involving battery-powered vessels.

Scaling up maritime electrification will therefore require more than technological development and equipment investment. It will also depend on establishing commercially viable models capable of supporting long-term infrastructure investment.

Potential measures include harmonised technical standards, long-term electricity offtake or infrastructure utilisation commitments, utility participation and cost-sharing arrangements, as well as public funding, concessional finance, credit guarantees, blended finance and targeted incentives to reduce investment risks.

In addition, participating organisations have urged IMO Member States to adopt progressive climate measures in 2026 that support the implementation of the IMO’s 2023 GHG Strategy and provide clearer policy signals for electrification investment.

Governments have also been called upon to integrate maritime electrification measures into their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and support the inclusion of maritime electrification in the Second Global Stocktake.