Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping has started partnerships with the port authorities of Hamburg, Gdynia, Roenne, Rotterdam and Tallinn to build the foundation of the European Green Corridors Network, which is set to establish green corridors in Northern Europe and the Baltic Sea.
The project is anticipated to demonstrate the commercialisation of alternative fuel supply chains, showcase and support solutions, provide a roadmap to scaling the supply chains and create a blueprint for rolling out green corridors in other areas and regions, according to a statement.
To achieve this, the Center has planned an approach of three phases:
- Pre-feasibility: Identify the potential routes, vessel types and fuels to establish high impact green corridors in the region.
- Feasibility: Assess the technical, regulatory and commercial feasibility of the shortlisted routes.
- Implementation: Implement the vision and establish green corridors in Northern Europe and the Baltic Sea.
“This is a vital step towards decarbonizing the shipping industry and meeting the EU’s 2030 climate ambitions,” said CEO of the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping, Bo Cerup-Simonsen, who went on to add that the project can be used as industry references to develop blueprints for new business models and identify the maritime industry’s inter-dependencies.
Green corridors have been recognised as a key enabler for shipping’s transition, according to the Center, and this initiative supports the Clydebank Declaration announced during COP-26 in Glasgow.
Valdo Kalm, CEO of Port of Tallinn, commented: “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.”
Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Center noted that additional public and private stakeholders will be onboarded, aiming to activate the full value chain needed to realise the vision.
