A meeting of shipowners, ports, financiers, energy companies and technology firms in London agreed to progress a Clean Energy Maritime Hubs iniatiave.
The international Chamber of Shipping’s Shaping the Future of Shipping Summit was held in London and was attended by energy ministers and development finance institutions as well as industry.
The summit agreed to progress a Clean Energy Marine Hubs Initiative (CEMH) which would co-ordinate decarbonisation efforts between stakeholders by developing collaboration between the energy sector and maritime industry. The vision for the hubs will also enable policy makers to unlock the potential of clean energy development.
Progress could come as quickly as September 2022 at Clean Energy Ministerial, a meeting of 29 energy ministers in Pittsburgh, USA, where the scheme may be launched.
Attendees at the ICS summit also emphasised the need for a global market-based measure to assist in decarbonising shipping, a mechanism they saw as key to reaching decarbonisation goals.
In the absence of international fund to support research and development of green technologies, attendees agreed unilateral moves to prioritise R&D for low- and zero-carbon fuels.
Dan Dorner, Head of Secretariat for the Clean Energy Ministerial, said: “We are acutely aware that shipping is at the heart of the global trade and use of energy, and therefore the world’s net-zero targets cannot be met without an involvement of this sector in the clean energy transition. Cross-sectoral and government collaboration will be critical to creating the necessary infrastructure and technologies we need for a successful energy transition in the coming decades. The Clean Energy Marine Hubs offer promise to bring together all the key stakeholders to enable the transformation of the marine sectors and we welcome the proposal.”
Guy Platten, ICS secretary general, said: “With stakeholders, across the fuel production and transportation value chain, we will now work together to remove bottlenecks and de-risk green investments, we can power shipping’s rapid transition through commercial scale up and wide-spread deployment of green fuels.”
Patrick Verhoeven Managing Director of the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH) said: “The global port community has a responsibility to offer refuelling hubs for maritime transport and also has a great opportunity to facilitate the trade of green fuels. No one industry can achieve the world’s decarbonisation goals independently; platforms such as this which promise to bring us together will be crucial to making those goals a reality.”
Source: Seatrade Maritime News
