In support of the effort to achieve global net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by no later than 2050, and in support of the effort to achieve zero greenhouse gas emissions from the international shipping sector by the same year, the United States is charting a course to advance domestic and international green shipping corridors.
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Greenhouse gas emissions from the shipping sector are significant and rising. Shipping would be the eighth largest emitter if it were a “country,” and by 2050, emissions from the sector are projected to increase by up to 50% from 2018 levels under a business-as-usual scenario. This trajectory is not compatible with the goals of the Paris Agreement. To support the effort to achieve global net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by no later than 2050, the United States has committed to work with countries to reach zero emissions from international shipping by the same year.
Green shipping corridors can spur early and rapid adoption of fuels and technologies that, on a lifecycle basis, deliver low- and zero-emissions across the maritime sector, placing the sector on a pathway to full decarbonization. The United States envisions green shipping corridors as maritime routes that showcase low- and zero-emission lifecycle fuels and technologies with the ambition to achieve zero greenhouse gas emissions across all aspects of the corridor in support of sector-wide decarbonization no later than 2050. There are multiple pathways through which a fully decarbonized corridor can be achieved; this green shipping corridors framework therefore provides maritime stakeholders the flexibility to choose the path that best suits their needs.
There is a growing movement of countries and non-state actors that are focused on green shipping corridors. In addition, private sector actors, including major users of maritime shipping, are increasingly making climate commitments and seeking opportunities to decarbonize their supply chains. For our part, the United States is partnering internationally, working on implementation domestically, and investing in the research and development needed to help ensure we have the solutions necessary to meet our commitments.1 Within this growing movement, however, there is not yet a shared understanding of what it means for a maritime corridor to be “green.” This document is intended to contribute to a common vision of green shipping corridors and advance the effort to establish them across the ocean and along coasts and inland waterways, so that maritime stakeholders may act as a united front to tackle the climate crisis.
Charting a Course for Green Shipping Corridors
Achieving zero emissions from maritime transportation over the coming years and decades will require research, development, demonstration, and deployment at a massive scale, as well as enabling policies that incentivize the shift to low- and zero-emission fuels and technologies as soon as possible. Adoption of these fuels and technologies, while limited in the short term, will rapidly accelerate once the supply chain is established and governments and the shipping sector signal their intent for energy transition.
Green shipping corridors are meant to accelerate this early adoption phase. They therefore should strive for emissions reductions that push the envelope beyond business-as-usual, demonstrating a commitment to achieve full decarbonization through sustained efforts. Green shipping corridors will not achieve zero emissions across all aspects of the corridor overnight. Instead, the journey to establish a fully decarbonized corridor is a series of steps and actions taken over time to cover all aspects of the route.
One of the first steps in creating a green shipping corridor is to convene relevant stakeholders across the value chain and to outline anticipated timelines, targets, and achievements. Creating a fully decarbonized green shipping corridor is a process,…
Read More: Green Shipping Corridors – United States Department of State