IMO has set a 2050 net‑zero target, urging ships to lower GHG Fuel Intensity. Biofuels are seen as a quick, scalable fix, but the surge in demand threatens food prices and deforestation. Shipping consumes about 4.5 million barrels of oil per day and accounts for roughly 3 % of global GHG emissions. The 2023 Net‑Zero Framework introduces a Global Fuel Standard and a pricing mechanism that penalises ships exceeding GFI thresholds while rewarding zero‑ or near‑zero fuel use. Bio‑blended fuel sales climbed from 300,000 tonnes in 2021 to over 1.6 million tonnes in 2024 in hubs such as Singapore and Rotterdam. Research by the International Council on Clean Transportation ( ICCT ) projects shipping demand could drive biofuel consumption to 140 billion litres by 2035—about three times the current global vegetable‑oil biofuel market—and could triple vegetable‑oil prices, burdening low‑income households and the 700 million people facing food insecurity worldwide. Transport & Environment notes that 90 % of global biofuels rely on food crops, diverting land from solar and other renewable projects. Cargill and BAR Technologies demonstrated wind‑assisted propulsion on the Pyxis Ocean, a Kamsarmax vessel owned by Mitsubishi Corporation . The 37.5‑metre‑tall wing sails saved an average of 3 tonnes of fuel per day, reaching 11 tonnes in optimal conditions, and the company estimates the system can cut a ship’s fuel use by up to 30 %. The trial data released by Cargill following a six‑month maiden voyage confirmed the technology's effectiveness. Analysts anticipate that around 10,000 ships worldwide will be equipped with wind‑assisted propulsion systems by 2030, with numbers projected to rise up to 40,000 by 2050. While biofuels offer a short‑term solution, their environmental trade‑offs and the risk of higher lifecycle emissions make green methanol, ammonia, and wind‑assisted propulsion more attractive for long‑term decarbonization. Shipping operators that adopt these alternatives can reduce fuel costs, avoid deforestation, and align with the IMO’s net‑zero ambitions.