STATEMENT: Ocean Conservancy Urges Congress to Pass Next Generation Shipping Act

WASHINGTON— Last week, Representative Nanette Barragán (D-CA-44), Representative Troy Carter (D-LA-2) and Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) introduced the Next Generation Shipping Act.  

The legislation would authorize $1 billion in financing annually from 2026 to 2035 to support the research, development, demonstration and deployment of clean shipping technologies including ​​zero-emission vessels, the retrofit of existing vessels and related infrastructure to support them.  

Caroline Bonfield, Ocean Conservancy’s senior U.S. policy manager for climate, issued the following statement in response:  

“The global shipping industry is on the verge of a green shift, and the U.S. must act quickly to stay competitive. This bill will help ensure that our ​​country’s ​​maritime industry has the resources to make the transition to clean shipping ​   a reality, by retrofitting existing vessels and designing and building new zero-emission vessels and their supporting infrastructure. 

​​“The environmental and health benefits of a cleaner shipping industry cannot be overstated: if shipping were a country, it would be the sixth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, responsible for an estimated 1 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year​​. Meanwhile, six million cases of childhood asthma around the world can be ​​linked to shipping emissions annually. In the U.S. alone, 39 million people live within three miles of a port, where poor air quality from ships and port operations ​​​​​​contribute ​​​​​​to respiratory diseases and cardiovascular issues. ​​     ​​​ 

“We are grateful for Representative Barragán’s, Representative Carter’s and Senator Van Hollen’s leadership in pursuit of the future of U.S. shipping—an industry that supports nearly 22 million American jobs—and look forward to working with their offices to bring the provisions in this bill to life.”  

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ABOUT OCEAN CONSERVANCY  

For more than 50 years, Ocean Conservancy has delivered effective, evidence-based solutions for the ocean and all who depend on it. Today, we continue to unite science, people and policy to protect our ocean from the greatest challenges it faces: climate change, plastic pollution and biodiversity loss. We are a 501(C)3 headquartered in Washington, D.C. that inspires a worldwide network of partners, advocates and supporters through our comprehensive and clear-eyed approach to ocean conservation. Together, we are securing a healthy ocean and a thriving planet, forever and for everyone. For more information, visit oceanconservancy.org, or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Bluesky or Instagram.