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tunities and accommodate changes in life circumstances and taking up roles onshore. I am pleased to say that the ICS works closely with the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Transport Workers%u2019 Federation (ITF), and other regulatory and representative bodies to create better regulations. Significant work is already underway to strengthen protections and opportunities for seafarers, but more still needs to be done.Rerouting ships around conflict zones increases fuel consumption and emissions. How does the ICS view the trade-off between security and the shipping industry%u2019s climate commitments?The industry is committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by or close to 2050, in line with the IMO strategy; however, seafarer safety must always be the priority. The recent geopolitical conflict in the Strait of Hormuz and the surrounding region has been deeply concerning. At the ICS, we call on all States to take the essential measures to ensure the safety of the seafarers caught up in this crisis. Freedom of navigation is critical to global trade, and seafarers should always be able to do their job freely and safely. Over the past five years, the industry has faced significant challenges, yet shipping has, time and time again, proven its resilience. Global trade continues, shipowners remain committed to investing in energy-efficient technologies to support decarbonisation goals, and, amid these heightened geopolitical tensions, we strongly urge all vessels operating in conflict regions to conduct thorough risk assessments and maintain heightened vigilance in accordance with the latest BMP (Best Management Practices) Maritime Security guidelines.The Clean Energy Marine Hubs initiative aims to turn decarbonisation from a concept into reality by focusing on ports, infrastructure, and fuel supply networks. How is it progressing in practice, and what early results or commitments are you seeing from ports and governments so far?I am pleased to note that the Clean Energy Marine Hubs (CEM-HUBS) initiative continues to gain momentum, with the governments of China and Malta joining last year. This brings the total number of participating governments to nine, including the UAE, Norway, Canada, Panama, Uruguay, Brazil, and Greece. What makes this initiative distinctive is that it looks beyond the immediate needs of shipping while ensuring that the sector is not overlooked in the wider energy transition.The CEM-HUBS initiative aims to accelerate the deployment of infrastructure and de-risk the investment required to ensure that the whole world can access low-carbon fuels near ports for maritime transport and use. It brings together shipowners, fuel producers, port authorities, governments, and financial institutions, enabling the pooling of expertise, risk sharing, and the alignment of regulatory decisions. These strategic partnerships are key to developing scalable and cost-effective green-fuel supply chains, as well as the necessary infrastructure to support their uptake and turn maritime decarbonisation from ambition into a practical reality.Interview28 NX