Greenhouse gas emissions from the shipping sector are significant, increasing, and on a trajectory that is incompatible with the goals of the Paris Agreement. Compared with country emissions, the sector would rank among the top 10 largest emitters globally.
To help place the sector on a pathway to align with the goal to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°, the United States and Norway organized the Green Shipping Challenge for COP27. This challenge is strongly supported by the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy. The Challenge encouraged governments, ports, and companies to prepare commitments to spur the transition to green shipping.
On November 7, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry chaired the launch of the Green Shipping Challenge during the World Leaders Summit of COP27. Countries, ports, and companies made more than 40 major announcements on issues such as innovations for ships, expansion in low- or zero-emission fuels, and policies to help promote the uptake of next-generation vessels. Announcements include:
P. Moller-Maersk: Maersk Signs a General Protocol for Collaboration with the Spanish Government to Explore Large-Scale Green Fuels Production in Spain
Amazon: Cargo Owners Send Clear Demand Signals for Zero Emission Ocean Shipping
American Bureau of Shipping (ABS): ABS Publication of "Green Shipping Corridors: Leveraging Synergies"
Australia: Australia-Singapore Cooperation on Green Shipping Corridors
Blue Sky Maritime Coalition and American Bureau of Shipping: Gulf of Mexico Green Shipping Corridor
Canada: Canada's Advancements on Green Shipping.
Chile: The Chilean Green Corridors Network Pre-Feasibility Study and the General Strategy of Maritime Administration to Effectively Implement IMO Instruments
Cyprus: Cyprus Tonnage Tax System: Reduction of Tonnage Tax as per Environmental Incentives
Denmark: Catalyst for Change--From Local to Global Green Shipping
DP World: DP World Announces Large Scale Carbon Reduction Action with Green Shipping Challenge
Finland and Fintraffic Vessel Services: Port Activity App Boosts the Efficiency of the Entire Logistics Chain and Supports Reducing Emissions
Finland and Siili Solutions in Conjunction with Fintraffic Vessel Traffic Services: Virtual Port Arrival, Sustainable and Efficient Shipping Through Data-Focused Collaboration and Information Sharing
Finland, Meriaura, Green NortH2, and Wärtsilä: Cargo Vessel Operated on Green Ammonia, Including E-Fuel Production
Finland, Rauma Marine Constructions, Viking Line, and Kempower: Scalable Green Maritime Transport Corridor Based on Locally Produced Renewable Fuel
Germany: Climate Neutral Ships
Germany: Developing the Pathway for Zero Emission Shipping at the DLR Institute for Maritime Energy Systems
Greece: Commits to Reducing Emissions at Six Major Ports Through Operational Efficiencies, On-shore Power Supply Systems, and Deployment of Renewable Energy Sources
Greece: Will Develop an Action Plan to Decarbonize the Domestic Coastal Ferry Fleet Operating Under Public Service Contract and Launch the First Hybrid Ferry in Greece
Greece: Joins the Declaration on Zero Emission Shipping by 2050
Green Hydrogen Producers and Green Shipping Leaders: Joint Statement on Green Hydrogen for Shipping
Green Shipping Programme (GSP): GSP to Develop and Deploy Ammonia as a Fuel for Shipping
International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH): Clean Energy Maritime Hubs Platform--Getting Maritime Ready to Unlock the Energy Transition
Republic of Korea: Collaboration on Green Shipping Corridors
Liberia: Liberia, Taking the Lead in Green Shipping Initiatives and Solutions to Shipowners
Lloyd's Register Group Limited: Silk Alliance Identifies Its First Baseline Fleet for Singapore Cluster and Calls for Further Collaborators
Lloyd's Register Group Limited: Zero Ready Framework Provides Shipping with Clarity Over Zero Carbon Readiness and Calls for Commitments
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Singapore Green & Digital Shipping Corridor: Commencement of Discussions for Los Angeles-Long Beach-Singapore Green & Digital Shipping Corridor
Los Angeles-Shanghai Green Shipping Corridor Partnership: Los Angeles-Shanghai Green Shipping Corridor Partnership and Implementation Plan
Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping: Blueprint for Green Corridors Pre-Feasibility Studies
Maldives: Scaling Up Low Carbon Technologies in the Transport Sector
Netherlands: Launching Customership for Sustainable Zero Emission Ships
Northwest Seaport Alliance: Toward a Zero-Emission Cargo Gateway in Seattle-Tacoma
Norway: Norway's Enhanced Domestic Actions Towards Zero Emission Shipping
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Norway: Norway's Enhanced International Actions Towards Zero Emission Shipping
Norwegian Maritime Partners: Cooperation Obligation to Reach the Zero Emissions Goal from Maritime Industry, Shipping Associations Classification Societies and Finance
Port of Seattle: The Alaska British Columbia Washington Green Cruise Corridor is Underway
Portugal: Enhancing Portugal's Zero-Emission Fleet
Serbia: Group for Maritime Navigation
Transoceanic Wind Transport (TOWT): TOWT to Launch a Fleet of 200 Drastically Decarbonizing Sailing Cargo Ships by 2035
United Kingdom: UK Joins Forces with the United States, Norway, and the Netherlands to Roll Out End-to-End Green Shipping Corridors
United States: Facilitating Green Shipping Corridors Worldwide
United States: Facilitating U.S. Green Shipping Corridors
United States: Creating a U.S. National Action Plan for Maritime Decarbonization
Zéphyr & Borée: The First Fleet of Sailing Container Ships in the World
Further details on these announcements, including announcement abstracts, are available at GreenShippingChallenge.org.
For media inquiries, please contact ClimateComms@state.gov.
