The best way to tackle shipping emissions is to impose levy on shipping fuel, green groups WWF and Oxfam said.

In a newly published report, WWF and Oxfam suggested that imposing a $25 tax on each tonne of shipping fuel would help in slashing emissions in the sector.

They claimed that taxing the fuel would tackle the 3.3 per cent of global shipping emissions, which are predicted to escalate by 150-250 per cent by the year of 2050.

The NGOs also stressed that European Union must lobby for a tax on shipping fuel during this years United Nations climate talks in Durban.

Speaking on the topic, Jason Anderson from WWF's European policy office said, "The climate conference in Durban this year provides the ideal opportunity for a global agreement on shipping.”

During International Maritime Organization talks in July, the shipping industry approved technical efficiency standards that are expected to slash emissions by 25-30 per cent by 2030.

The green groups have accused the International Maritime Organization of acting too slowly and making negligible progress towards approving a global carbon pricing policy to bring emissions down further.