Keeping pathways open in a changing maritime landscape

As the maritime industry navigates fuel uncertainty, digital transformation, and decarbonisation pressures, DNV CEO Cristina Saenz de Santa Maria explains why optionality, operational resilience, and a pragmatic approach to emerging technologies will be critical to the sector’s future.

With Gastech in Bangkok this year, how do you see the multi-fuel transition progressing in Southeast Asia, and what role will LNG continue to play compared to emerging alternatives like ammonia and methanol?

I think in Southeast Asia we are seeing a very pragmatic multi-fuel transition, and Gastech reflects that, because decisions are being shaped by what can actually be deployed and operated today. LNG will continue to play a role given its relative maturity and availability.

I would include hydrogen and its derivatives, such as ammonia, as they are part of the region’s longer-term strategy, even if policy consistency has been a blocker, because we are now seeing more stable signals from markets like China, South Korea and Japan. Ultimately, the pace of the transition will depend on how quickly low carbon variants can be scaled and integrated into these evolving energy systems.

And let us not forget that all of this connects directly to people on board. Every new fuel, system, and operational adjustment increases complexity for seafarers, so their safety, training, and well-being will need to be part of how these transitions are implemented in practice.

According to DNV, how viable is carbon capture as a medium-term decarbonisation pathway for the existing global fleet? 

I would say carbon capture is increasingly being looked at as a possible pathway, especially for the existing fossil-fuelled fleet, where switching to low-GHG fuels is not practical within the asset lifetime. Onboard carbon capture can be viable in specific segments, particularly for larger vessels with predictable operations, but there are still practical constraints around space, energy use, offloading logistics, and regulatory clarity, so in practice it looks more like a complementary measure alongside energy-efficiency measures and fuel changes rather than a broad solution across the global fleet. 

If you look at Asia in particular, carbon capture also links to a wider regional dynamic where early projects are being driven by high CO₂ gas field developments, which are starting to build out the foundations of a CO₂ value chain, including potential cross-border transport of CO₂ from countries like Japan and Singapore to storage hubs in Malaysia, Indonesia or Thailand.

In turn, this creates demand for new ship types, infrastructure, and business models, so while onboard carbon capture has limitations around space, energy use, and logistics, it can complement this broader system if those value chains mature. But it is important to note that flexibility becomes essential. As with any pathway you consider pursuing, the situation is less about a single scenario and more about managing continued uncertainty.

As the maritime industry rapidly adopts digital tools and agentic AI, what are DNV’s core safety and cybersecurity priorities for managing these increasingly complex systems?

I think as digital tools and more autonomous or agentic systems are introduced, we have to be very focused on making sure safety and cybersecurity remain grounded in real operations, so the priority is trust in the systems, secure handling of data, and clear human oversight with defined responsibilities.

We are putting a lot of emphasis on assurance, verification, and testing frameworks because these systems introduce complexity that crews and organisations will need to understand and manage in a structured way.

What is your advice for the industry looking to build investment resilience into its fleet strategies today? 

When I talk to industry colleagues about investment resilience, I come back to optionality and practical operability, because uncertainty around fuels, regulation, and trade patterns will remain for some time. That is why decisions today should keep multiple pathways open, whether through fuel readiness, modular solutions, or operational flexibility. In the end, it comes down to choices that fit your operational needs and build the best future-proof strategy.