Zero Emissions Maritime Buyers Alliance

What Zero Emissions Maritime Buyers Alliance does

Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA) is a non-profit freight buyers alliance founded in March 2023 and headquartered in Washington, DC, that aggregates demand from 45+ multinational cargo owners to accelerate commercial deployment of zero-emission maritime shipping. The organization was launched as an initiative of Cargo Owners for Zero Emission Vessels (coZEV) with co-founders Amazon, Patagonia, and Tchibo, and is facilitated by the Aspen Institute's Energy and Environment Program, which serves as the ZEMBA secretariat. Members include IKEA, Nike, Meta, Brooks Running, REI Co-op, Decathlon, Bauhaus, Tchibo, Mondelēz, Sanofi, DSM-Firmenich, Electrolux, Philips, Pernod Ricard, Levi Strauss, New Balance, Vaude, and others across retail, apparel, e-commerce, pharma, FMCG, and logistics, with participation extended to freight forwarders and aggregators such as AIT Worldwide Logistics, SEKO Logistics, Flexport, and Green Worldwide Shipping.

ZEMBA's core product is a collective procurement platform that runs structured tender (RFP) processes to procure the environmental attributes of clean-fuel-powered container shipping services from ocean carriers. Its inaugural tender (RFP 1), completed in April 2024 with Hapag-Lloyd as winner, awarded a waste-based biomethane shipping service delivering at least 90% lifecycle GHG reduction across 1+ billion TEU-miles on the Singapore-to-Rotterdam route in 2025-2026, abating at least 82,000 metric tonnes of CO2e. Its second tender (RFP 2), announced December 17, 2025, exclusively targets e-fuels: Hapag-Lloyd was awarded e-methanol deployment on trans-oceanic dual-fuel containerships and North Sea Container Line (NCL) was awarded deployment of the world's first e-ammonia-powered containership on a northern European trade lane, with at least ~120,000 metric tonnes of GHG abatement starting 2027 across ~20 billion tonne nautical miles. Verification of environmental attributes flows through Katalist, the first non-profit maritime book-and-claim registry developed by the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping and RMI, enabling credible Scope 3 emissions claims without disrupting members' physical logistics.

ZEMBA charges no membership fees; operations are funded through philanthropic sources, and contracting between members and winning carriers is bilateral and facilitated (not intermediated) by ZEMBA. The Sustainability Framework, co-developed with the Center for Green Market Activation (GMA), Lloyd's Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub, and Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, sets minimum thresholds such as ≥90% lifecycle GHG reduction and 3-5 year contract terms to give carriers time to procure clean fuels, retrofit vessels, and arrange bunkering. Strategic support is provided by the Aspen Institute secretariat, technical partners Lloyd's Register and GMA, and legal partner Pillsbury. Distribution relies on organic LinkedIn, Axios HQ newsletters, public webinars, policy briefs to IMO and SBTi, tier-1 earned media, and event participation including COP28.

Name

Zero Emissions Maritime Buyers Alliance

Legal name

Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance (ZEMBA)

Website

https://shipzemba.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2023

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ZEMBA is a non-profit buyers alliance that aggregates demand from 45+ multinational freight buyer members to accelerate commercial deployment of zero-emission maritime shipping. It operates competitive collective-procurement tenders and uses Katalist book-and-claim verification to allocate verified environmental attributes to members.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel

Revenue model

1. Membership (No Fee): ZEMBA charges no membership fee at this time; operations are funded through philanthropic sources. Members gain access to environmental attributes via book and claim and pay carriers directly for environmental attribute certificates through bilateral contracts facilitated by ZEMBA.
2. Philanthropic Funding: ZEMBA's benefits are available with no membership fee thanks to generous philanthropic funding, per ZEMBA's blog post on the organization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ZEMBA is a non-profit freight buyers alliance that aggregates demand from 45+ multinational cargo owners into competitive tenders for zero-emission container shipping services. Members access verified environmental attributes from clean-fuel-powered shipping (e-fuels and biomethane) via a book-and-claim chain-of-custody system powered by the Katalist registry, decoupling emissions reductions from physical freight movement. The alliance runs multi-year procurement tenders (currently RFP 2 for e-fuels) and contracts bilaterally between members and winning carriers such as Hapag-Lloyd and North Sea Container Line.

Product overview

ZEMBA (Zero Emission Maritime Buyers Alliance) is a non-profit buyers alliance offering a single integrated collective procurement platform rather than a discrete software product. Its core offering is the ZEMBA Membership Program, which provides freight buyers access to its tender-based demand aggregation services — namely the Inaugural Tender (RFP 1) for biomethane-powered shipping and the Second Tender (RFP 2) for e-fuel-powered shipping. These tenders are supported by the ZEMBA Beyond the Tenders book and claim program (utilizing the Katalist registry) that provides credible verification and allocation of environmental attributes. Together, the membership program, two tender processes, and book and claim verification framework constitute ZEMBA's service portfolio, aimed at accelerating the maritime sector's clean energy transition.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ZEMBA Membership Program Free (no membership fee) membership program open to any freight buyer, freight forwarder, or aggregator with eligible Scope 3 maritime obligations. Provides access to verified emissions reductions (environmental attributes) from clean energy-powered shipping, first-mover leadership demonstration, and first-of-its-kind pricing on sustainable container shipping services.
• ZEMBA Inaugural Tender (RFP 1) ZEMBA's first Request for Proposals process seeking bids for the environmental attributes of zero-emission shipping services starting in 2025. Awarded to Hapag-Lloyd for waste-based biomethane-powered shipping on a Singapore-to-Rotterdam route, delivering over 90% lifecycle GHG reduction over 1 billion TEU-miles in 2025-2026 and abating at least 82,000 metric tonnes of CO2e.
• ZEMBA Second Tender (RFP 2) - E-Fuel Focused ZEMBA's second Request for Proposals exclusively focused on catalyzing the first commercial deployment of e-fuels in the maritime sector. Targets 3-5 year contracts for e-fuel-powered container shipping starting 2027 with at least 90% lifecycle emission reduction. Won by Hapag-Lloyd (e-methanol on trans-oceanic lane) and North Sea Container Line (e-ammonia on northern European trade lane), enabling ~120,000 metric tonnes of GHG abatement.
• ZEMBA Beyond the Tenders (Book and Claim Program) ZEMBA's ongoing book and claim chain-of-custody system that enables credible, third-party verified, and transparent allocation of environmental attributes from clean-fuel-powered shipping to member companies worldwide, decoupling physical freight movement from the willingness to pay a premium for verified emissions reduction.

Quantifiable outcome

• At least 82,000 metric tonnes of CO2e avoided collectively by ZEMBA members in 2025-2026 (inaugural tender)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Aspen Institute (Energy and Environment Program)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Aspen Institute's Energy and Environment Program serves as ZEMBA's secretariat, providing operational backbone, communications, and senior program management. ZEMBA is an initiative of Cargo Owners for Zero Emission Vessels (coZEV), facilitated by the Aspen Institute.
• Lloyd's Register Maritime Decarbonisation HubflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndependent, not-for-profit social purpose organization working to decarbonize shipping. Provides technical support for ZEMBA's tenders, co-ran the 2024 Request for Information (RFI) with ZEMBA to assess e-fuel market readiness.
• Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw PittmanflagshipImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLaw firm acting as ZEMBA's legal counsel and providing procurement expertise. Helped navigate competition and antitrust concerns in ZEMBA's tender process (per FT coverage).
• Center for Green Market Activation (GMA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS-based, globally focused non-profit working to catalyze and scale uptake of low-carbon goods and services. Co-manages the Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance (SABA). Co-developed ZEMBA's Sustainability Framework with ZEMBA and Lloyd's Register.
• Katalist (Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping + RMI)flagshipTechnology or IntegrationFirst nonprofit maritime book-and-claim registry developed by the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping and RMI in collaboration with 29 organizations. ZEMBA uses Katalist for both inaugural and second tender environmental attribute verification.
• Cargo Owners for Zero Emission Vessels (coZEV)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerZEMBA is an initiative of coZEV, formed in March 2023. coZEV's 2040 Ambition Statement commits signatories to only use ZE ocean transport by 2040; ZEMBA operationalizes the demand-side commitment through tenders.
• Neoteric Energy and Climate LLCcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSpecialized climate and energy advisory firm with experience running tenders in hard-to-abate sectors, including for sustainable aviation fuel through the Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance. Provided advisory support for ZEMBA's inaugural tender.
• Hapag-LloydflagshipOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerOne of the world's leading container shipping companies; won ZEMBA's inaugural tender (waste-based biomethane on Singapore-Rotterdam route in 2025-2026) and ZEMBA's second e-fuel tender (e-methanol on large methanol dual-fuel containerships on trans-oceanic lane starting 2027).
• North Sea Container Line (NCL)flagshipOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerNorwegian container shipping company, market leader in Norway; co-winner of ZEMBA's second e-fuel tender to deploy the world's first e-ammonia-powered containership on a northern European trade lane starting 2027.
• AmazonflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder of ZEMBA alongside Patagonia and Tchibo (launched March 2023); Amazon's Carl Berger and Maro Enoka have publicly represented Amazon in ZEMBA-related coverage.
• IKEAcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor cargo owner and ZEMBA member; IKEA Supply Chain Operations Sustainability Manager Elisabeth Munck af Rosenschöld publicly endorsed ZEMBA's open letter to the IMO calling for effective global regulations.
• A.P. Møller – Mærsk A/ScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipated in ZEMBA and Katalist's June 2025 open letter to SBTi on indirect mitigation in Net-Zero Standard 2.0; affiliated with the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping that helped build Katalist.
• Swire Shipping Pte. LtdminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of 13 pioneering organizations that joined ZEMBA and Katalist's June 2025 open letter to SBTi advocating for indirect mitigation in the maritime sector's clean energy transition.
• Swire Bulk Pte. LtdminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of 13 pioneering organizations that joined ZEMBA and Katalist's June 2025 open letter to SBTi advocating for indirect mitigation in the maritime sector's clean energy transition.
• Liquid WindminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of 13 pioneering organizations that joined ZEMBA and Katalist's June 2025 open letter to SBTi advocating for indirect mitigation in the maritime sector's clean energy transition.
• NORDENminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of 13 pioneering organizations that joined ZEMBA and Katalist's June 2025 open letter to SBTi; Henrik Røjel, Head of Decarbonisation & Climate Solutions at NORDEN, was quoted endorsing Book & Claim.
• Unifeeder A/SminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of 13 pioneering organizations that joined ZEMBA and Katalist's June 2025 open letter to SBTi advocating for indirect mitigation in the maritime sector's clean energy transition.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• First Movers Coalition: World Economic Forum initiative using voluntary corporate demand commitments to send market signals for hard-to-abate sectors including maritime shipping, steel, and hydrogen. Functions as a broader, less procurement-focused version of ZEMBA's collective-demand approach across multiple decarbonization challenges.
• Smart Freight Centre: International non-profit focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from freight transport, including maritime. Operates the Global Logistics Emissions Council (GLEC) Framework and runs parallel buyer-engagement programs. ZEMBA's Scope 3 maritime work overlaps with Smart Freight Centre's broader freight decarbonization mandate.
• Global Maritime Forum: International non-profit industry coalition convening maritime stakeholders (carriers, cargo owners, financiers, policymakers) to accelerate decarbonization. Operates the Sea Cargo Charter and the Getting to Zero Coalition; complements ZEMBA's buyer-side work with broader industry-level coordination.
• Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping: Denmark-based non-profit research and development center that co-developed the Katalist book-and-claim registry used by ZEMBA. Functions as a research-and-standards counterpart to ZEMBA's procurement role; both are part of the same maritime decarbonization ecosystem with substantial overlap in carrier relationships.
• Clean Energy Buyers Association (CEBA): U.S.-based member-driven association focused on collective procurement of clean energy (primarily renewable electricity). CEBA pioneered the demand-aggregation model for corporate clean energy procurement; ZEMBA effectively applies the same playbook to maritime zero-emission fuels.
• Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI): Non-profit energy and climate think tank that co-developed the Katalist registry with the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center. Operates adjacent demand-aggregation initiatives in aviation, shipping, and industrial decarbonization, functioning as both a knowledge partner and a peer platform architect.

Others

• Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Program: Parent/sponsor organization that serves as ZEMBA's secretariat, providing operational backbone, communications, and senior program management. Functions as the host non-profit enabling ZEMBA's operations rather than as a direct peer, but is the institutional vehicle through which ZEMBA executes.

Direct peers

• Cargo Owners for Zero Emission Vessels (coZEV): Parent initiative of ZEMBA, founded March 2023, with the same 2040 Ambition Statement commitments. coZEV is the advocacy and commitment vehicle; ZEMBA is the procurement operationalization. CEO Ingrid Irigoyen is concurrently Director of coZEV, and ZEMBA membership substantially overlaps with coZEV signatories.
• Center for Green Market Activation (GMA): ZEMBA's strategic partner that co-developed the Sustainability Framework and co-manages the Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance. GMA operates the same catalytic demand-aggregation model across carbon-intensive goods and services, functioning as a peer platform architect for ZEMBA's market-shaping approach.
• Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance (SABA): Sister buyers alliance co-managed by GMA (ZEMBA's partner) using the same collective-procurement plus book-and-claim architecture for sustainable aviation fuel. SABA is the most direct comparable to ZEMBA — same secretariat model, same philanthropic funding approach, same member roster overlap (Amazon, IKEA, etc.), with aviation fuel instead of maritime.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=IN8urW7Q9Es
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zero-emission-maritime-buyers-alliance-zemba

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Zero Emissions Maritime Buyers Alliance