Boston Consulting Group (BCG), a global management consultancy, and leading advisor on decarbonization to the maritime industry, and American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), a global leader in providing classification services for marine and offshore companies and assets, have today signed a memorandum of understanding to join their technical and consulting expertise in the maritime and offshore industries, providing joint support to clients’ decarbonization journeys.

ABS has deep knowledge of and experience in the marine and offshore industries, as well as extensive insight into the dynamic sector’s regulatory landscape and a global network of sustainability centers.

BCG offers strategic perspective, change management, and transition design that provide a unique, end-to-end proposition to capture future benefits in the marine and offshore value chain.

Peter Jameson, Partner and Global Lead for Climate and Sustainability in BCG’s Infrastructure, Transport and Cities practice, said: “High uncertainty around regulation, technology and new markets requires every player across the maritime value chain to work together. Taking a bold leadership position, even with uncertainty, will create an advantage for first movers, and sustainable business for followers.”

Christopher J. Wiernicki, ABS Chairman, President and CEO, said: “We are excited to be bringing two global and industry recognized brands together to help the maritime industry, governments, charterers, suppliers, shipyards and shipowners deal with the challenges and opportunities of decarbonization. ABS is built to play in the sweet spot of safety, technology and regulations while BCG is built to play in the sweet spot of strategy, transformation and change management. Bringing these capabilities together will provide a unique offering to help the industry safely unlock value, manage risks and take advantage of opportunities over the life cycle of the clean energy transition in a changing world. Success is a team sport and together ABS and BCG will make a difference.”

The new joint proposition will help clients achieve their net-zero goals, supporting asset owners in their efforts to explore feasible options for operational and technical improvement, advise on carbon capture technologies, and the uptake of alternative and low-carbon fuels, among other consultative services that support carbon reduction strategies.

The BCG/ABS offer is also aimed at those looking to tap into the opportunities afforded by the transition to net zero. This would include all businesses that feed into the low-carbon value chain for offshore industries, including renewable energy producers, low-carbon fleet development, and subsea storage, among others.