The ports of Vancouver and Seattle, City and Borough of Juneau (Alaska), various cruise lines, as well as the Global Maritime Forum, Blue Sky Maritime Coalition, and Washington Maritime Blue have announced a new commitment to explore the feasibility of the world’s first cruise-led green corridor in the Pacific Northwest of North America.
The First Mover Commitment was announced in a press release during the International Association of Ports and Harbors World Ports Conference last week in Vancouver.
Cruise line and industry partners include Carnival Corporation and its cruise brands including Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Carnival Cruise Line, Seabourn, and Cunard; Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings and its cruise brands including Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises; Royal Caribbean Group including its brands Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises; and Cruise Lines International Association.
The collaborative effort aims to accelerate the deployment of zero greenhouse gas emission ships and operations between Alaska, British Columbia, and Washington.
Partners have agreed to:
• Work together to explore the feasibility of a green corridor in the Pacific Northwest of North America, including, but not limited to, further defining the scope and application of the green corridor concept;
• Enhance and support the emission-reduction efforts already underway and use the green corridor as a testbed for low and zero greenhouse gas technologies and ships, as feasible; and
• Work collaboratively to define the governance structures, terms, and frameworks needed to guide this regional effort.
“These first movers are coming together around the need to address the most pressing issue of our time — climate change,” said Port of Seattle Commissioner Fred Felleman. “By exploring the development of a Green Corridor, we’re bringing resources and technological advancements to this region where commercially viable zero greenhouse gas emissions ships may sail that much sooner. We’re not naïve about the challenges ahead. But we recognize the urgency to act as we transition to an inclusive blue economy that works for the climate, commerce, and communities alike.”
“The Pacific Northwest is both an area of tremendous natural beauty, and an area of global leadership in advancing sustainable shipping,” said Robin Silvester, president and CEO of the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. “We’ve been proud to work with regional partners on important cross-border efforts such as the Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy, to phase out all port-related emissions by 2050, and through the ECHO Program, to reduce the impacts of commercial shipping on endangered whales. We look forward to building on those efforts, in collaboration with our partners, customers, and local stakeholders, by exploring the feasibility of a first-of-its-kind “green corridor” to advance cleaner, greener shipping at the Port of Vancouver and through this region.”
“Government and industry leaders need to collaborate, define and implement the optimum pathway to get to zero climate emissions, starting now, in the Pacific Northwest between the ports of Alaska and Washington. Our region has a history of leadership on maritime environmental initiatives and we are proud to continue that work with this bold next step,” said City and Borough of Juneau City Manager Rorie Watt.
“This opens a new chapter for the cruise industry and each of our brands,” said Jan Swartz, Group President of Holland America Group. “Working together, we are pioneering a new frontier to help protect the environment as we continue our commitment to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions.”
“The cruise industry is committed to pursuing net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The First Mover Commitment in the Pacific Northwest is a demonstration of the collaboration and innovation needed between ports and the cruise industry to achieve our shared goals,” said Kelly Craighead, president and CEO of Cruise Lines International Association.
“We at the Global Maritime Forum have been vocal champions of the Green Corridors concept, and we think they are a crucial tool for accelerating shipping’s long-term transition to zero-emissions and getting the sector to the tipping point of 5% zero-emission fuels by 2030. Moving to new fuels, new vessels, and new shore-side infrastructure is complex, but inclusive, collaborative efforts like this one can make it possible. We’re proud to bring our global network in support of this exciting effort in the Pacific Northwest,” said Jesse Fahenstock, Global Maritime Forum head of research and analysis. (Photo Vancouver Fraser Port Authority)
