The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has committed to supporting green shipping in South Africa, and proposals for low- and zero-carbon pilot projects were pitched during a stakeholder meeting held in Cape Town earlier this month.
Biofuels from farmed algae, hydrogen-based fuel production, and making harbour vessels greener through low-carbon fuels are among proposals being considered for support through IMO’s GreenVoyage2050 Accelerator programme.
The programme aims to accelerate deployment of low- and zero-carbon solutions on board ships/in ports by supporting the development and implementation of pilot projects.
The next step in the process is for one or two pilot projects to be shortlisted for consideration of support through the GreenVoyage2050 Accelerator programme. The decision on which projects to take forward will be made in consultation with the South African government.
Representatives from the SA Department of Transport, the South African Maritime Safety Authority, and the GreenVoyage2050 project team met with multiple stakeholders from the private sector, academia and non-government organisations during the event.
GreenVoyage2050 technical manager, Astrid Dispert, said in her panel speech that the IMO was supporting developing countries in their decarbonisation efforts through projects such as GreenVoyage2050.
In particular, she highlighted how, through its geographical position and the abundance in renewable energy, South Africa was well placed to become a producer of maritime low- and zero-carbon fuels.
