Green shipping corridor
THE United States of America, the Republic of Fiji, and the Pacific Blue Shipping Partnership have planned to engage in technical co-operation to help facilitate the establishment of a green shipping corridor.
In a joint statement, they stated that green shipping corridor were key in accelerating the early adoption of zeroemission fuels and technologies.
This would create a pathway best aligned with the goal of limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
“Together, we intend to undertake a feasibility study to explore the potential of creating a green shipping corridor in the region, which can work to expand access to new fuels and technologies,” the joint statement said.
“Upon its completion, we will initiate discussions on next steps among key stakeholders.
With this announcement, Fiji is set to join the Green Shipping Challenge, an initiative that catalyses actions from countries and non-state actors to advance the transition to a 1.5-aligned shipping sector.
The United States is pursuing this technical cooperation under the Green Shipping Corridor Initiation Project, announced under the Green Shipping Challenge at COP27.
Green shipping corridors are specific maritime routes decarbonised from end to end, including both landside infrastructure and vessels. Setting up such routes using zero-emission fuel or energy, putting in place refuelling or recharging infrastructure and vessels demonstrate cleaner, more environmentally-friendly shipping on a given route.
In November 2022, during COP27, US President Joe Biden announced new initiatives to strengthen US leadership around tackling the climate crisis and galvanise global action and commitments.
President Biden’s announcement demonstrated that the United States was following through on its commitments and initiatives targeted at accelerating new and expanded domestic and global efforts to fight climate change.