ABS Chief Warns: Safety Must Lead Shipping’s Transition

“We must design for safety, train for safety, and lead with safety. If we don’t, the consequences can be profound, not just for business, but for lives. Every innovation, every operational change, must be tested against one question: Does it make us safer?”

This was the message from ABS Chairman and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki in a welcome address to attendees at the Gala Reception for London International Shipping Week 2025 (LISW25).

Wiernicki underscored the critical human element in shipping’s technological evolution, noting that “behind every smart ship, every digital dashboard, and every data stream, there is still a human being making critical decisions. Investment in their training and continuous development is essential. It is not just about efficiency, it’s about dignity, safety, and long-term resilience.”

The ABS chief has been vocal throughout the week about the maritime industry’s regulatory challenges, particularly regarding the IMO Net Zero Framework scheduled for adoption in October. At multiple events, he has expressed concern about the disconnect between regulatory ambitions and industry realities.

“Shipping and the IMO are on different trajectories. There is no clear pathway for green fuel availability and scalability and infrastructure support,” Wiernicki stated at the launch of the 2025 ABS Sustainability Outlook. “The industry needs a framework but we need one that marries ambition with reality.”

Wiernicki has called for the IMO to recognize LNG as a legitimate transition fuel and acknowledge nuclear propulsion’s potential. “The NZF should explicitly include nuclear in its roadmap, not as a footnote but as a pillar of long-term strategy,” he remarked during his Capital Link Conference keynote.

According to ABS research, compliance costs are expected to rise dramatically, with daily operating costs for vessels trading within the EU potentially increasing from approximately $15,000 in 2028 to around $45,000 by 2035.

Wiernicki, who is set to retire at the end of 2025 following a 14-year leadership tenure, leaves a significant legacy at ABS, which expanded its fleet to 300 million gross tons in 2024 while maintaining a 22 percent global new order share.

The IMO Net Zero Framework faces a critical vote in October, with implementation planned for 2027 if adopted. The framework has received backing from the International Chamber of Shipping but faces opposition from some top shipowners and the Trump administration, which has characterized it as “effectively a global carbon tax on Americans levied by an unaccountable UN organization.”

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