Ports ready for zero emissions

Mollema made the declaration as IAPH pledged to actively supports the development of a global strategy for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions both land-based and maritime sources, in line with the Paris climate goals.

“Ports are ready to facilitate the pathway to zero emission shipping,” said Mr Mollema. “This can be done in various ways, for instance through the facilitation of infrastructure for the supply of alternative fuels, optimising the effectiveness of port incentive schemes, increasing operational efficiency of ports to minimise ship’s idle time and the provision of climate-proof infrastructure.

“What is important is that ports have the flexibility to use different tools and instruments according to the type of infrastructure and traffic they manage.”

IAPH has co-sponsored a submission from Germany and other parties to the upcoming session of the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) which calls for a quantified global emissions pathway for shipping to set the level of ambition of the initial IMO strategy, to be decided in 2018.

The objective of the submission is that emissions should start declining as soon as possible and reduce towards zero in the second half of the century, in line with the Paris climate goals.

In March next year, IAPH will launch a World Ports Sustainability Programme that will extend the scope of the World Ports Climate Initiative (WPCI) from climate action to a full range of sustainability port development challenges.