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8 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 29 JULY 2026 NEWS Malta ranks fourth in green shipping study, but fossil fuel challenge remains A study assessing the environmental readiness of major shipping registries places Malta in an upper- middle position, but finds that nearly 90% of its registered f leet still relies on conventional fossil fuels AS the international maritime industry faces growing pressure to reach net-zero emissions by or around 2050, a new study has ranked Malta among the "up- per-middle" performers in pre- paring its registered fleet for a low-carbon future. The research, authored by Em- manouil Nikolaidis and Eleni Tsolaki of Frederick University in Cyprus, assessed ten major flag states according to their en- vironmental readiness, examin- ing how their fleets are adapting to the transition towards greener shipping. Malta fourth in balanced ranking To assess the preparedness of national fleets, the researchers developed a framework based on three categories: decarboni- sation through alternative fuels, engine efficiency, and compli- ance with air-pollution stand- ards. In a "balanced" scenario, which gave equal weight to all three factors, Malta ranked fourth overall. The ranking was led by the three largest open registries — Liberia, the Marshall Islands and Singapore — which secured the top positions due to their abili- ty to spread efficiency measures and compliance technologies across large, modern fleets. Malta's fourth-place position placed it ahead of other ma- jor maritime states, including Greece, which ranked fifth, Cy- prus in sixth place and Norway in seventh. Japan, the United States and Turkey occupied the lower po- sitions, reflecting what the study describes as a slower adoption of environmental technologies rel- ative to the size of their fleets. Malta's stable performance challenges old perceptions A key finding of the study is Malta's consistency across dif- ferent scenarios. While some countries, such as Norway, per- form strongly when the focus is placed on alternative fuels but fall lower when other factors are considered, Malta maintains a stable upper-middle ranking whether the assessment priori- tises long-term decarbonisation or short-term compliance. The findings also challenge the traditional perception of large "flags of convenience" as envi- ronmental laggards. The researchers argue that major registries such as Malta and Liberia are increasingly us- ing their scale to encourage the spread of green technologies across the global fleet, suggest- ing that competition between registries is becoming increas- ingly linked with environmental governance. Fossil fuel reliance remains major challenge Despite Malta's strong relative performance, the study high- lights the scale of the challenge facing the shipping industry. Across all ten countries an- alysed, researchers identified a "layered" transition pattern: fleets are adopting lower-risk technical improvements, such as more efficient engines and scrubbers, but the move away from fossil fuels remains much slower. Nearly 90% of Malta's regis- tered fleet still relies entirely on conventional fossil fuels, under- lining the distance still to be cov- ered before full decarbonisation can be achieved. The study also notes that around two-thirds of the glob- al alternative-fuel fleet relies on liquefied natural gas (LNG), which it describes as a transi- tional fuel rather than a perma- nent zero-carbon solution. Shipowners hedge their bets as technology remains uncertain The study says shipowners are responding to uncertainty over future fuels through a strategy of "technological optionality". Around 16% of the alterna- tive-fuel fleet is described as "multi-fuel ready", allowing owners to adapt once a clear ze- ro-carbon technology, such as ammonia or hydrogen, emerges from the current development phase. The transition is also creating a growing "vintage divide" within national fleets. Advanced sys- tems and alternative-fuel capa- bilities are concentrated mainly in newer vessels or ships under- going major retrofits, while older vessels remain largely unaffected by environmental upgrades. Governance key to meeting 2050 targets The study concludes that en- vironmental readiness depends not only on technology but also on governance. Flag states such as Malta in- fluence the transition through technical guidance, enforcement measures and the incentives they provide to shipowners. While Malta's ranking indi- cates that it is well positioned among global maritime regis- tries, the researchers warn that all major fleets face a steep climb towards the 2050 targets. Moving beyond transitional measures will require regulators to align immediate compliance requirements with the large- scale infrastructure changes needed for deeper decarbonisa- tion, the study concludes. JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt File photo