IAPH Managing Director praises the World Climate Action Program as "a rallying call" for all ports to engage in the WPSP pillar of Climate and Energy
Antwerp, 13 September 2018
Seven ports have now elevated the Paris Agreement Climate Goal to the top of their agendas to keep global warming well below 2°C.
With their World Ports Climate Action Program announced today, the port authorities of Hamburg, Barcelona, Antwerp, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Vancouver and Rotterdam will collaborate in refining and developing tools to facilitate reduction of CO2 emissions from maritime transport.
IAPH Managing Director Patrick Verhoeven welcomed the initiative, commenting :
"These seven ports are global leaders in the field of action against climate change and pioneers in energy conservation. We are very pleased that they will be using the World Ports Sustainability Program as a platform to reach out to other ports and communicate progress. This is a rallying call for all ports to join forces and work together with the shipping industry in advancing the decarbonisation of the maritime transport sector."
In their release today, the seven ports have agreed to focus on five concrete actions:
1. Increase efficiency of supply chains using digital tools.
2. Advance common and ambitious (public) policy approaches aimed at reducing emissions within larger geographical areas.
3. Accelerate development of in-port renewable power-2-ship solutions and other zero emission solutions.
4. Accelerate the development of commercially viable sustainable low-carbon fuels for maritime transport and infrastructure for electrification of ship propulsion systems.
5. Accelerate efforts to fully decarbonize cargo-handling facilities in our ports.
Patrick Verhoeven concluded:
"As coordinators of the the World Ports Sustainability Program (WPSP), our aim is to develop new tools, building on existing ones such as the Environmental Ship Index and low-carbon fuel bunkering guidelines, which can be used by all ports on a global scale. These seven port authorities and their collaboration will accelerate that process – our job will be to ensure that ports worldwide benefit from their know-how and innovations."
The World Ports Sustainability Program was initiated by the International Association of Ports and Harbors. The program was officially launched on 22 March 2018, in partnership with several other international and regional port-related organisations. Guided by the 17 UN SDGs the program wants to enhance and coordinate future sustainability efforts of ports worldwide and foster international cooperation with partners in the supply chain. The World Ports Sustainability Program covers five main areas of collaboration between ports : resilient infrastructure, climate and energy, safety and security, community outreach and port-city dialogue, governance and ethics.
Contact : Victor Shieh, Communications Partner
Email : victor.shieh@sustainableworldports.org
Tel : +32 473 980 855