The ports of Los Angeles and Shanghai in late January announced a major partnership with stakeholders to form a ‘Green Shipping Corridor’ in an effort to make one of the world’s most traveled routes for shipping containers more sustainable.
The partnership involves an implementation plan with goals, roles and other initiatives that is expected to be developed by the end of this year, according to the port.
That includes the best ways to lower emissions and bolster efficiency for vessels using the trade route, curbing port-related air pollution and transitioning cleaner-burning vessels with low, ultra-low and zero carbon fuels through this decade and introducing by 2030 “the world’s first zero carbon trans-Pacific container ships.”
Initiating partners include the cities and ports of Shanghai and Los Angeles, a global network of climate crisis-focused mayors called C40 Cities, with participating partners A.P. Moller – Maersk, CMA CGM, Shanghai International Ports Group, COSCO Shipping Lines, the Aspen Institute’s Shipping Decarbonization Initiative, Cargo Owners for Zero Emission Vessels and the Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre in Asia, according to the port.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who begun the C40’s Green Ports Forum when he was chair, was key in forming the Los Angeles-Shanghai Green Shipping Corridor partnership.
International collaboration is essential to decarbonize global supply chains, said Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka.
“We look forward to partnering with the Shanghai Municipal Transportation Commission, the Shanghai International Port Group, leading shipping lines and major cargo owners to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the maritime supply chain,” Seroka said. “It’s time to get started on this important work.”