Washington, DC – Prime Minister of Norway 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 significant announcements on issues such as innovation for ships, expansion in low- or zero-emission fuels, and policies to help promote the uptake of next-generation vessels.
The United States is leading zero-emission shipping and is committed to finding solutions for the climate crisis within the country and internationally. Some of its notable work includes The Inflation Reduction Act, which includes a new $3 billion rebate and grant program at the Environmental Protection Agency to provide zero-emission port equipment or technology. The US Department of Transportation announced more than $703 million to fund 41 projects in 22 states and one territory to improve the port facilities. The United States is also working with countries in the International Maritime Organization to phase out greenhouse gas emissions from international shipping to zero no later than 2050.
Under the new green shipping challenge, the United States will facilitate US green shipping corridors. The US Department of State, US Department of Energy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of the Republic of Korea, and Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy of the Republic of Korea will undertake a feasibility study to explore the potential of creating a green shipping corridor between major cargo ports in the Republic of Korea and the United States. The US has also announced its new project with Canada, the Great Lakes/Saint Lawrence Seaway System Green Shipping Corridor Network Initiative. Furthermore, it also announced its intention to support shipping establishment between the US and the United Kingdom, launching a US- UK green shipping corridor task force.
The new green shipping challenge also includes creating a US National Action Plan. In early 2023, the Department of Energy, the Department of Transportation, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development will release a transportation sector decarbonization blueprint. After the blueprint’s release, departments and agencies will commence the development of a US maritime decarbonization strategy.
The United States is also looking forward to facilitating green shipping corridors worldwide. The US and its partners in zero-emission shipping are launching Green Shipping Corridor Hub, an online platform to provide resources and tools to streamline the formation and deployment of green shipping corridors globally. The other feature of the Hub includes route tracking, a matchmaker tool for stakeholders to connect, and a library of green shipping corridor reports and analyses. The US Department of State is launching the Green Shipping Corridors Initiation Project with $1.5 million to support a feasibility study for green shipping.
With the rise of greenhouse gasses and increase in global warming, the Green Shipping Challenge will help to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius and encourages governments, ports, and companies to commit to spur the transition to green shipping.
