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Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore signs MOU with Port of LA and Port of Long Beach to set up a green and digital shipping corridor between Singapore and the San Pedro Bay ports
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The project aims for zero-carbon emission on the corridor linking the three ports and improve their efficiencies via digitalization
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The ports will support the shift to low- and zero-emission fuels by ships calling at Singapore and the San Pedro Bay ports complex
Singapore’s Maritime and Port Authority signed a memorandum of understanding on April 24 with Port of Los Angeles and Port of Long Beach to set up green corridor for shipping between Singapore and the San Pedro Bay ports complex.
The project aims to decarbonize the maritime industry and improve its efficiencies through digitalization. The signing comes nearly two months before IMO’s Initial Strategy for the Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Ships starts in July 2023.
The memorandum was signed by MPA chief executive Teo Eng Dih; Port of LA executive director Gene Seroka, and Port of Long Beach executive director Mario Cordero.
“The signing of this MOU signals our collective will to pool our resources, technical insights, industry and research networks to deliver scalable green as well as digital corridor solutions to help the maritime industry attain the 2050 emission reduction targets expected of the IMO and help spur the development of green growth opportunities,” said MPA CEO Teo.
“No single port or organization can tackle the challenge of decarbonizing the supply chain alone, no matter how innovative their technology or robust their efforts. The establishment of this green shipping corridor … will prove to be a living, breathing testament to the power of global collaboration,” Seroka said after the signing ceremony.
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Port of Long Beach’s Cordero said: “Creating this green corridor with our partner ports and C40 Cities is part of our strategy to coalesce all of our efforts here and beyond to help advance our goals for cleaner marine fuels for oceangoing vessels, improve efficiencies for the global movement of goods, and to achieve a carbon-neutral future.”
The signing of the MOU to set up s green corridor was witnessed by US Ambassador to Singapore Jonathan Kaplan; Singapore Transport Minister and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations S. Iswaran; MPA chairman Niam Chiang Meng; Los Angeles Harbor Commission vice president Edward Renwick, and Long Beach Harbor Commission president Sharon L. Weissman.
C40 is the facilitator of the green and digital shipping corridor, providing support to the cities, ports, and their corridor partners by coordinating, convening, facilitating, and providing communications support.
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As leading hub ports, Singapore, Long Beach and Los Angeles are vital nodes on the transpacific shipping lane and key stakeholders in the maritime sector’s green transition.
They will join the C40 Cities network and other stakeholders in the maritime and energy value chains to accelerate the maritime industry decarbonization in line with the goals of the International Maritime Organization, Singapore and the US’ respective nationally determined contributions.
The signing took place a little more than two months before IMO’s Initial Strategy for the Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Ships starts in July 2023.
“Shipping is responsible for approximately a gigaton of greenhouse gas emissions each year. But the good news is that many shipping companies, ports and countries are stepping up. Today’s MOU is one of those pieces of good news,” US Presidential Climate Envoy John Kerry said.
The green and digital shipping corridor aims to support the transition to low- and zero-emission fuels by ships calling at Singapore and the San Pedro Bay ports complex. The parties will work to facilitate the supply and adoption of these fuels and explore the necessary infrastructure and regulations for bunkering.
Besides identifying and collaborating on pilot and demonstration projects, the signatories aim to identify digital shipping solutions and develop standards and best practices for green ports and bunkering of alternative marine fuels, and sharing experiences at international platforms such as IMO.
