Torvald Klaveness chief executive Ernst Meyer was forced to use the “T” word as he explained how shipping can reach net zero.

He believes that only a tax on carbon-based fuels can propel the change needed.

The Norwegian group’s boss told guests at the annual Klaveness Forum in London that shipping did not pay much attention to CO2 until relatively recently — “and then suddenly we discovered that, ‘oh, we need to run fast’.”