With growing regulatory pressure on the shipping industry to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the issue of who should foot the green bill has become contentious.

At a virtual conference earlier this month, Grindrod Shipping chief executive Martyn Wade had some complaints about his clients but stopped short of revealing names.

The shipping industry is a major source of pollution. Photo: Canetti

"I always have a bit of a beef about the charterers who appear on the front page of TradeWinds proclaiming their green credentials are the same individuals that at times will take an old ship because it's 50 cents cheaper," he said during the Capital Link International Shipping Forum.