Slowing ships down is one of the most effective ways of reducing greenhouse gas and other emissions.

Studies suggest that half of all ship greenhouse gas mitigation potential is in reduced speed, and as fuel consumption drops so do emissions of other important pollutants.

Designing ships to travel slower is one of the quickest, easiest ways to improve the energy efficiency of new ships and the slow steaming of existing vessels is equally effective at driving down emissions.

Voluntary slow steaming has been a popular way of reducing operating costs during economic downturns, but without regulation ships will speed up again and emissions will balloon when the economic “good times” return.

Seas at Risk is keen to see the climate and other advantages of reduced ship speed exploited to the full and locked in, and is working with partners Transport & Environment to that end.  

Reports on some of the research that we have conducted can be found below.

Clean Shipping Coalition's Speed Proposal to IMO

Smarter Steaming Ahead: Policy Options, Costs and Benefits of Regulated Slow Steaming (BROCHURE) (pdf)

Regulated Slow Steaming in Maritime Transport: An assessment of Options, Costs & Benefits (REPORT OF STUDY) (pdf)

Going Slow to Reduce Emissions: Can the current surplus of maritime transport capacity be turned into an opportunity to reduce GHG emissions? (REPORT OF STUDY) (pdf)

Regulating speed: a short term measure to reduce maritime GHG emissions