Fossil Fuels Are 40% of Freight Shipping Tonnage, but Half Its Fuel Use

Fossil fuels represent approximately 40% of maritime shipping tonnage but account for about half of all fuel consumption because they are transported over long distances in large bulk trades. Rather than seeking one-to-one fuel replacements, the energy transition should focus on reducing demand by declining fossil fuel cargo shipments and shifting to electrifiable segments like ferries, short-sea routes, and coastal services that are better suited to batteries and shore power. This "denominator-first" approach makes the alternative-fuel challenge more tractable than attempting to preserve today's energy-intensive shipping system with different fuel molecules.