The Hong Kong Chamber of Shipping and Bureau Veritas (BV), supported by the Yantian District Government, Hong Kong Shipowners Association, Wah Kwong Maritime Transport Holdings, and the Equator Fund, recently hosted a workshop with international stakeholders focused on two clear pathways to decarbonise maritime activity – alternative green fuels and electrification.
The Clean Energy Supply Chain Workshop event is said to represent a significant step forward in accelerating efforts to decarbonise the Greater Bay Area (GBA) maritime eco-system. The event brought together about 140 representatives from policy makers, vessel owners and operators, infrastructure operators, fuel makers, technology providers, and financiers to share insights and work towards practical sustainable solutions that will help leverage green energy and technology in deep-sea shipping, port operations, cargo handling, and short-sea and ferry activities.
Among the key focuses of the event were the two workshop sessions, following key themes to decarbonise maritime activity, respectively ‘Addressing Alternative Fuels’, and ‘Unlocking Electrification’. The workshop discussions were moderated by Prof Christine Loh, Hong Kong University Science and Technology’s (HKUST) Chief Development Strategist, and Dr Kenneth Leung, Former Principal Assistant Secretary (Air Policy), HKSAR Environment and Ecology Bureau. The sessions explored the current technology and eco-systems required to support the development of green electricity as a power source for modern maritime operations, with a discussion on the supply and demand of alternative fuels especially for green methanol from China, as well as the development of a roadmap for offering green fuel bunkering and export services.
Hing Chao, Founder and Chairman, Hong Kong Chamber of Shipping, and Executive Chairman, Wah Kwong Maritime Transport Holdings, said: “Perspectives and policies to decarbonise maritime must reflect the reality and potential of clean fuel supply changes originating in China, as well as Chinese technology and innovation that can electrify ports and short-sea shipping. There is also a huge opportunity for Hong Kong to play a role in green energy markets related to the supply of green energy. These Clean Energy Supply Chain workshops are a vital example of the continued industry collaboration that is required to achieve the maritime industry’s goals of accelerating the decarbonisation transition, whilst making a meaningful impact on the continued protection of the marine environment.”
Subajan Sivandran, Director, Strategy, M&A and Advanced Services, BV Marine & Offshore, said: “Ambitions to decarbonise the maritime sector will be shaped by what is happening in China. In the Greater Bay Area, with 86m people in nine cities, there is massive shipping and ports activity and demand, connected to world markets and trade. This is the perfect eco-system to explore and decide what we can do to create impact – and to do so quickly.”
According to BV, driving decarbonisation and smart ports across the GBA maritime ecosystem, and developing Hong Kong as a Green Shipping Centre, supported by meaningful policy and infrastructure commitments, could help provide a significant contribution to the IMO’s 2050 GHG reduction targets and establish pathways and models to accelerate the net zero transition of global shipping. These ambitions and their realisation will create business opportunities for both Shenzhen’s and Hong Kong’s maritime, port and financial sectors.
Image: Key stakeholders across the maritime industry’s value chain participated in the Alternative Fuels Workshop (source: Bureau Veritas)
