Navigating Zero - Global Trade’s Powerful Wave of Change

This week, we’re discussing how pragmatism drives reinvention, and what strategies can help shipping companies navigate change without losing sight of carbon goals.

This episode is a fan favourite from Season 2 and it's a brilliant conversation with Mikael Skov, CEO of Hafnia, one of the world’s leading product tanker companies.

With almost 40 years in shipping, including 25 years at TORM before founding Hafnia in 2013, Mikael brings a wealth of experience on the energy transition. He dives into the reality of tanker markets, complex ecosystems that can be shaped by geopolitical shifts and economic pressures. In this environment, how can companies meet today’s needs while staying on track to cut emissions?

Lora and Mikael explore this question, discussing how shipping companies can make measurable progress on emissions today, using technology, digital tools, and collaboration with customers, while keeping an eye on long-term goals. They also cover how innovation by market leaders can create momentum and opportunities for the wider industry.

If you’re interested in seeing how pragmatism and resilience are shaping the future of shipping, this episode pairs perfectly with our Season 3 opener with Julian Bray from TradeWinds, where we look at how the industry is navigating turbulence and adapting to react zero.

Global trade powers our world but contributes roughly 3% of greenhouse gas emissions. A zero-emissions future is possible -- and this conversation shows how practical steps today can set the stage for a transition at scale.


About Mikael Skov: LinkedIn
Listen to Julian Bray on Industry Practices and Resilience in the Age of Uncertainty
About ZeroNorth: Website
About Lora Jakobsen: LinkedIn
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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/