Navigating Zero - Global Trade’s Powerful Wave of Change

After laying the groundwork in its first two seasons, Navigating Zero returns for Season 3, with a bold new focus: rebuilding the maritime ecosystem from within. We’ve identified the origins of the zero carbon movement, and the engines of change; now it’s time to make new connections, to transform our industry. 

In this season opener, host Lora Jakobsen, Chief Sustainability Officer at ZeroNorth, speaks with Julian Bray, Editor-in-Chief of Tradewinds and Publisher at Dagens Næringsliv. With decades of experience shaping the conversation around global shipping, Julian offers a unique vantage point on the maritime industry's ongoing evolution. 

In our conversation today, we offer a picture of the current maritime landscape, with its innovations and challenges, and define what we need to navigate what Julian calls the “age of uncertainty.” 

This episode explores what's fundamentally new in future-proofing strategies compared to five years ago. We unpack how the shipping industry is responding to turbulence: from geopolitical instability and supply chain disruptions to the urgent push for emission cuts; and Julian explains how resilience has taken on new meaning for the industry, shifting from simply weathering market cycles to adapting to regulatory, technological, and financial complexity. 

He also highlights the importance of making a clear business case for sustainability, and the critical role cargo owners will play in accelerating real change. 

Along the way, we also discuss the impact of eco zones and the so-called “dark fleet” on global trade routes, and what the next 15 years of maritime trade could look like as retrofitting, automation, and cultural change take hold. 

Tune into this wide-ranging and pragmatic conversation to find out why uncertainty can be an opportunity.



About Julian Bray: LinkedIn
About TradeWinds: Website
About Zero North: Website
About Lora Jakobsen: LinkedIn
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Sources:
Nor Shipping 2025: International Shipping at the Crossroads of Geopolitics and Green Transition - TO BHMA International Edition
Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’ will prove resilient - Oxford Analytica

What is Navigating Zero - Global Trade’s Powerful Wave of Change?

There’s no denying we are facing a climate crisis, and all industries must do their part to reach zero emissions. Maritime trade is critical to today’s society but is also responsible for roughly 3% of all greenhouse gas emissions. A future where global trade reaches zero carbon emissions is possible, but how do we actually get there?

Navigating Zero - Global Trade’s Powerful Wave of Change is a podcast from ZeroNorth that explores exactly that.

In each episode, Lora Jakobsen, Chief Sustainability Officer at Zero North, speaks with global thought leaders inside and outside the shipping industry to build a greener future together. They’ll unpack everything from the economics of decarbonisation in maritime shipping and global trade, to green energy innovations, from sustainable shipping logistics to digitalisation, data sharing and regulation in the industry.

Previous guests include leaders building the conversation around a greener future, such as Danny Lang (ex-Vice President of Business Intelligence at Google), Robert Mærsk Uggla (Chairman of the board directors of Maersk, CEO of A.P. Møller Holding) and Rasmus Nordqvist of the EU Parliament.

After two successful seasons, Navigating Zero will be returning for Season 3, to spotlight the industry’s most innovative trailblazers – the architects of change who are rebuilding the maritime trade ecosystem from the inside out. Featuring voices like Alexander Saverys, CEO of CMB.Tech, Johannah Christensen from GMF, and Julian Bray, former Editor-in-Chief of TradeWinds, as we explore what transformation really looks like in practice.

About Lora Jakobsen:
Lora Jakobsen is ZeroNorth’s Chief Sustainability Officer and one of the organisation’s founding members. She specialises in technology, growth and sustainability strategy, and is on a mission to accelerate the maritime shift towards sustainability in global trade. Lora brings clarity and challenge to every conversation, grounding the show in a commitment to finding new and better ways.

About ZeroNorth:
ZeroNorth is a technology leader committed to accelerating the energy transition in global shipping. Founded in 2020, we have grown from being a team of six to 600 employees across 10 global locations. We are at the forefront of the decarbonisation movement, leveraging technology and data as enablers to drive immediate reductions in emissions — critical steps towards achieving long-term sustainability goals in the maritime industry.

Learn more at: https://zeronorth.com/