Ecological modernization (EM) is often
presented as a suitable way to make societies, and the key industries on which
they are dependent, environmentally and economically
sustainable. This article focuses on the underlying factors that contribute to
EM in the shipping industry. The theoretical perspective used stems
from critical EM and corporate social responsibility research. The
analysis aims to prove unrealistic assumptions of EM in political terms and
thereby to contribute to understanding the potential barriers to EM
projects. The empirical results presented in this article are
based on content analysis of Finnish and Danish maritime strategy documents and
interviews conducted in Finland in 2014–2016. The analysis of the
policy documents shows linkages between weak EM and strong
technological framing of maritime sustainability in Danish and
Finnish maritime policies. Analysis of the interviews demonstrates how, in a
time of economic downturn the positive prospects of EM, highlighted
in Danish and Finnish maritime strategy documents, become contested at
company level due to economic obstacles. The article ends with
conclusions which stress that achieving sustainable maritime transport
requires enlarging the scope of sustainability beyond emission control and
into the role of transport in society, taking into account how maritime
business transactions are carried out in specific places around the
globe.