The Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping has partnered up with the Port Authorities of Hamburg, Gdynia, Roenne, Rotterdam, and Tallinn to promote green corridors in Northern Europe and the Baltic Sea.
The project will demonstrate the early commercialisation of alternative fuel supply chains, showcase and support first-mover solutions, and create a blueprint for rolling out green corridors in other areas and regions.
A phased approach has been planned to achieve this:
- Pre-feasibility: Identify the potential routes, vessel types and fuels to establish high impact green corridors in the region.
- Feasibility: Assess the technical, regulatory & commercial feasibility of the shortlisted routes.
- Implementation: Implement the vision and establish green corridors in Northern Europe and the Baltic Sea.
The move directly supports the Clydebank Declaration announced during COP26 in Glasgow and further reinforces the company’s pledge to reduce CO2 emissions for ocean shipping by 60 per cent by 2030 and become carbon neutral by 2050.
“This is a vital step towards decarbonising the shipping industry and meeting the EU’s 2030 climate ambitions,” said Bo Cerup-Simonsen, CEO of the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping.
“Until recently, the maritime sector was the only transport sector in the EU not subject to greenhouse gas emission reduction targets,” added Valdo Kalm, CEO of Port of Tallinn.
“That time has passed, and the new reality has arrived: we must all work together to reduce CO2 emissions; there is no other way out. To achieve maritime sector decarbonisation, zero-emission fuels and vessels must be deployed at scale over the next decade. It is undoubtedly a difficult task, but it can be aided by the formation of green corridors in which major ports provide the necessary zero-carbon fuels at the required scale for bunkering.”
The Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Center stated that additional public and private stakeholders will be onboarded along the way and noted that new legislation will also be required to enable the transition towards decarbonisation.
The news follows Maersk’s previously announced partnerships to accelerate large-scale green fuel production.
