Interview with Mr. John Denholm, Chairman of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS)

By Longyu Xue, China Ship Survey

In June 2026, during its Annual General Meeting held in Rome, the Board of Directors of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) formally appointed John Denholm CBE as its new Chairman. With a history spanning more than a century and representing over 80 percent of the world’s merchant shipping tonnage, ICS is undergoing a leadership transition at a time when global shipping faces profound change. Rising geopolitical risks, shifting global trade patterns, an accelerating energy transition, and the continuous evolution of the international regulatory landscape are all presenting new challenges to the industry’s future development.

John Denholm comes from a British shipping family. He has led the family-owned business, J.& J. Denholm, for more than three decades and has held leadership positions across a number of industry organisations, bringing with him a wealth of maritime experience. On the occasion of his appointment, China Ship Survey conducted an exclusive interview with John Denholm. Across a range of core topics — including his key priorities for his tenure, ICS’s strategic focus areas, maritime regulatory coordination, shipping decarbonisation, seafarer welfare and talent development, and industry resilience — John Denholm shared his in-depth perspectives and insights.

Confronting an uncertain future, he believes that building industry resilience depends not only on effective risk management and operational flexibility, but also on keeping seafarers at the very heart of the industry’s development. “The long-term success of shipping depends on attracting and retaining talented people, and that starts with putting seafarers first”, John Denholm emphasised.

Mr. John Denholm, Chairman of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS)

Photo credit: International Chamber of Shipping

Q: Having just taken over as Chairman of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), what new responsibilities does this role entail for you personally? And what are the goals you most hope to advance during your tenure?

A: It is a great honour to serve as Chairman of ICS and to represent an industry that carries around 90 percent of global trade. One of my first and main priorities is the protection of seafarers. They are the people who keep world trade moving and they should never be placed in danger simply for doing their jobs.

Alongside this, I want to continue ICS's work in defending freedom of navigation and supporting the rules based international framework that has underpinned global shipping for decades. The industry relies on stability, predictability, and international cooperation. At a time of growing geopolitical uncertainty, it is vital that we prevent the erosion of the global regulatory and legal systems that enable maritime trade to operate safely and efficiently.

Q: International shipping is at a critical juncture where geopolitics, energy transition, regulation and technological change are all converging. What do you see as the top priorities for ICS in the years ahead?

A: The challenges facing shipping today are more interconnected than ever before. According to the latest ICS Maritime Barometer, geopolitical uncertainty is now viewed by industry leaders as the single greatest risk facing global shipping. Recent events have demonstrated how quickly disruption to key trade routes can impact supply chains, energy markets, and global economic stability.

ICS will continue to focus on our essential priorities for the shipping industry. First, ensuring the safety, security, and welfare of seafarers. Second, defending the freedom of navigation and supporting the uninterrupted movement of global trade. Third, helping deliver a successful and practical decarbonisation transition through global regulation developed at the International Maritime Organization.

At the same time, we must help the industry navigate rapid technological change, strengthen cyber resilience and ensure that innovation supports both safety and sustainability. The maritime sector has always adapted to change, but doing so successfully will require unprecedented cooperation across governments, industry and the wider supply chain.

Q: In recent years, the maritime industry has faced an increasingly complex regulatory landscape, and there is growing concern across the sector about regulatory fragmentation. How do you view this issue, and how will ICS work to promote a more harmonised global regulatory system?

A: Regulatory fragmentation remains one of the most significant concerns for our industry. The latest ICS Maritime Barometer again highlighted growing concern among shipping leaders about the increasing complexity created by regional and unilateral regulatory measures.

Shipping is inherently global. A vessel may call at multiple jurisdictions during a single voyage, making globally consistent regulation essential for efficiency, safety and compliance. When different regions pursue separate regulatory approaches, particularly in areas such as decarbonisation, it creates uncertainty, increases costs and risks undermining the effectiveness of the measures themselves.

ICS remains firmly committed to promoting global solutions through the International Maritime Organization. We have seen the risks of fragmentation emerge in areas such as decarbonisation, where overlapping and potentially conflicting regulatory frameworks create uncertainty for investment and long term planning.

Our focus will continue to be on supporting harmonised international regulation and resisting the trend towards unilateral measures. A global industry requires global rules.

Q: Decarbonisation is one of the pressing issues for shipping. From your perspective, what are the key obstacles standing between international shipping and the 2050 net-zero target? And what are the most urgent issues that the industry must tackle?

A: The industry is committed to achieving the targets agreed at the IMO, but there are still significant challenges that must be addressed. The biggest obstacles are regulatory certainty, the availability of scalable zero and near zero emission fuels, and the infrastructure needed to support them.

Shipowners are ready to invest and many have already done so, particularly through the ordering of dual fuel vessels and other future ready technologies. However, investment decisions for ships are made over decades, not years, and businesses require confidence that the regulatory framework and fuel supply chain will support those investments.

We remain hopeful that further progress can be made through upcoming meetings of the Marine Environment Protection Committee, helping to provide the certainty needed to accelerate the transition.

Q: The future fuel pathway for ships remains uncertain. How do you see the evolution of the energy mix for vessels going forward? And what role will ICS play in advancing fuel standards, infrastructure development and the investment environment?

A: There is unlikely to be a single fuel solution for global shipping. Different vessel types, trades and operational requirements mean that a range of alternative fuels will be needed as the industry transitions towards net zero.

This is where ICS believes collaboration across the entire value chain is essential. Through our Clean Energy Marine Hubs initiative, developed in partnership with the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH), we have been working to bring together governments, ports, fuel producers, cargo owners and ship operators to identify how the barriers to fuel production, distribution and uptake can be overcome.

A blueprint for the development of Clean Energy Marine Hubs is currently being finalised. Its purpose is to provide a practical framework that stakeholders can use to accelerate investment and coordinate action at key ports and trade corridors around the world. The reality is that shipowners cannot make this transition alone. Success will depend on a coordinated effort across the entire maritime and energy ecosystem.

ICS will continue to advocate for globally recognised fuel standards, a supportive regulatory framework and the long term policy certainty needed to unlock investment. The technology is developing rapidly, but what the industry needs now is confidence that fuel supply and infrastructure will be available when ships require them.

Q: The green transition brings cost pressures to industry players. In your view, how can they strike a better balance between environmental compliance and commercial viability?

A: The findings of the 2025 to 2026 ICS Maritime Barometer show that shipping leaders remain committed to decarbonisation but highlights how external pressures are shaping the industry’s green transition. Regulation, public funding, and market-based measures were noted as the most influential factors, underscoring the extent to which progress is dependent on the interaction between policy frameworks, financial support, and economic incentives. At the same time, constraints around funding availability and regulatory divergence continue to present challenges, reinforcing the complexity of delivering change at scale

The shipping industry has, in many respects, moved ahead of regulation and demonstrated its willingness to invest. Significant numbers of dual fuel vessels and other technologies, despite uncertainty about which fuels will ultimately dominate. However, shipowners need confidence that the necessary fuels, infrastructure, and regulations will be in place throughout the operating life of their vessels.

Environmental ambition and commercial viability are not competing objectives. They must go hand in hand. Achieving that balance requires clear, predictable regulation and a coordinated effort across the entire supply chain to ensure that investment can be made with confidence.

Q: With multiple challenges and uncertainties increasingly becoming the new normal for shipping, what do you believe are the essential capabilities for shipowners to strengthen their resilience and competitiveness?

A: Shipping has repeatedly demonstrated its resilience in the face of extraordinary challenges, from global pandemics to geopolitical conflicts and disruptions to major trade routes. The industry will continue to adapt and ensure that global trade keeps moving.

Resilience today requires strong risk management and operational flexibility. At the same time, it is important to recognise that resilience should not mean accepting unacceptable risks.

It is deeply concerning that seafarers have increasingly found themselves exposed to danger while carrying out their professional duties. No one should face threats to their safety simply because they are helping to keep global trade moving. Protecting seafarers must remain at the centre of any discussion about industry resilience.

Q: Seafarer shortages and evolving skill requirements are emerging as major challenges. What trends do you foresee in the future maritime talent landscape, and how will ICS support global seafarer training and career development?

A: The latest BIMCO and ICS Seafarer Workforce Report highlights a growing need for additional trained seafarers, particularly officers, in the years ahead. To meet the future demand, it is estimated that an additional 22,747 officers and 8,475 ratings will need to join the workforce each year until 2030. At the same time, the ICS Maritime Barometer identified concerns about skills availability as the industry undergoes rapid technological and environmental transformation.

The seafarer of the future will require expertise not only in traditional ship operations, but also in digital systems, cybersecurity, data management and the safe handling of alternative fuels. The transition to net zero shipping will be as much a people challenge as a technology challenge.

ICS will continue to work across the maritime value chain to support high quality education and training standards. We must also continue to promote shipping as an attractive and rewarding career, particularly to younger generations, highlighting both the opportunities at sea and the pathways available into shore based roles later in a person's career.

Q: In recent years, there has been growing focus on seafarers' working conditions, safety and the overall attractiveness of the profession. Could you offer some recommendations on how to further improve seafarer safety, welfare and career development opportunities?

A: The welfare of seafarers must remain a central priority for the entire maritime sector. ICS continues to work closely with the International Labour Organization, the International Transport Workers’ Federation and other partners to support the effective implementation of the Maritime Labour Convention and to ensure high standards across the industry.

There is also increasing recognition of the importance of mental health and wellbeing. These issues are receiving far greater attention than ever before, which is a positive development. Seafarers need access to appropriate support both on board and ashore, particularly during periods of heightened operational pressure.

We must continue to ensure that careers at sea are safe, rewarding and professionally fulfilling. This includes investing in training, supporting career progression, and demonstrating that maritime experience can open doors to a wide range of opportunities both at sea and on land. The long term success of shipping depends on attracting and retaining talented people, and that starts with putting seafarers first.