Former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has said that decarbonisation and environmentally sustainable shipping practices have evolved beyond regulatory compliance to become a critical competitive advantage for businesses operating in the global maritime industry.
Peterside made the assertion on Monday while delivering the keynote address at a high-level webinar organised by Naturehedge in collaboration with the West Africa Green Economic Development Institute (WAGEDI), Gregory University, SSA Hub and the Sustainable Energy Practitioners Association of Nigeria (SEPAN).
Speaking on the theme, “Green Maritime: Strategy and Operations Beyond Optics,” the maritime regulation and compliance expert said the industry’s future would be shaped by organisations that successfully integrate decarbonisation, digitalisation, innovation and operational excellence into their operations.
According to him, green maritime has become a strategic business imperative with direct implications for operational costs, profitability, access to finance and long-term business sustainability.
“Green maritime is about environmentally sustainable practices, technologies, and policies that reduce impact on the environment,” Peterside said.
He explained that organisations should no longer view sustainability initiatives merely as environmental branding or symbolic corporate responsibility but as practical measures capable of improving operational resilience and market competitiveness.
Peterside noted that with the introduction of stricter carbon-intensity regulations by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in 2026, alongside the expanded application of the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) to shipping activities, operators must adopt practical strategies to remain competitive in the evolving global market.
He outlined several operational measures that shipping companies can deploy to improve efficiency while reducing emissions. These include voyage optimisation, just-in-time port arrivals, the adoption of alternative marine fuels such as methanol, ammonia and liquefied natural gas (LNG), deployment of digital technologies and enhanced safety-focused workforce training.
The webinar attracted a broad spectrum of stakeholders across the maritime value chain, including shipowners, vessel operators, port authorities, regulators, financiers and energy sector partners.
Participants were told that while regulatory compliance remains mandatory, organisations that embed sustainability into their daily operations, data management and financing models would be better positioned to achieve long-term growth and competitive advantage.
Also speaking during the event, Professor Magnus Onuoha, President of the Governing Council of REEEAA and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of SEPAN, announced that the webinar forms part of preparations for a major pan-African strategic workshop scheduled to take place in Accra, Ghana.
On her part, the Managing Director of Damen Shipyards South Africa, Madam Hermione Manuel, underscored the commercial value of green shipping, describing it as a convergence of competitiveness, sustainability and regulatory compliance.
She highlighted the company’s hybrid vessel initiatives as practical examples of how shipbuilders are responding to the industry’s transition towards cleaner and more efficient maritime operations.
Organisers announced that the webinar series would continue periodically ahead of the planned physical workshop in Accra, with the objective of strengthening strategic capacity and operational expertise for Africa’s maritime decarbonisation agenda.
The discussions reflected the growing momentum across the global maritime sector towards cleaner shipping, as industry players increasingly align operational strategies with international environmental standards while seeking new opportunities for efficiency and sustainable growth.
