This report does not constitute a rating action.
S&P Global Ratings published the report "Sustainability Insights: Climate Transition Trends: Global Shippers Chart A Complex Course," Jan. 20, 2026, which applies S&P Global Ratings' Climate Transition Assessment to estimate the Shade of Green for a global sample of 27 maritime shipping companies.
We estimate that 23 companies would receive a Current Shade of Orange, indicating continuous heavy reliance on traditional fossil fuels. Companies more involved in transporting fossil fuels would receive a Current Shade of Red. We do not foresee any companies in our sample attaining a green shade by 2030, and we foresee only three companies are likely to make sufficient decarbonization progress to reach a shade of Yellow.
Many companies in the sector have set long-term decarbonization targets that would require substantial investments in biofuels, methanol, and dual-fuel liquified natural gas vessels. However, fuel availability, price, and lack of policy support may hinder implementation.
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