Amazon, Inditex, and Ikea are among major international companies to pledge using only zero-emission ships to transport goods by 2040 to decarbonise ocean shipping.
The retailers have vowed to only use ocean freight services powered by zero-carbon marine fuels.
They plan to reach this goal within the next two decades.
The fuels must have zero greenhouse emissions on a lifecycle basis, including in their production, not just during use.
The initiative has been spearheaded by non-profit organisation the Aspen Institute, which expects other retailers reliant on ocean shipping to sign up to the pledge.
Shipping is estimated to be responsible for 2.9 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions globally, according to the UN shipping regulator the International Maritime Organisation.
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