Hamburg – X-Press Feeders, the world’s largest independent common carrier, today signed of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with six European ports: Port of Antwerp Bruges (Belgium), Port of Tallinn (Estonia), Port of Helsinki (Finland), Port of HaminaKotka (Finland), Freeport of Riga (Latvia) and Klaipeda Port (Lithuania).
This landmark agreement signifies a joint commitment to accelerate the establishment of green shipping corridors and the broader decarbonization of the marine sector in Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea. Through this MOU, X-Press Feeders and the participating ports will pool resources and expertise to develop and implement sustainable practices for maritime operations.
Under the MOU:
– Parties will work together to further develop infrastructure for the provision and bunkering of alternative fuels such as green methanol,
– Encourage the development of supply chains for fuel that are zero or near to zero in terms of greenhouse gas emissions
– Provide further training programs for port workers and seafarers with regards to the handling of alternative fuels
– Leverage digital platforms to enhance port call optimization
– Parties will have regular meetings to update and discuss progress on actions for further developing green shipping corridors.
The collaboration between the parties will begin with the establishment of these two shipping routes: Green Baltic X-PRESS (GBX): Rotterdam > Antwerp Bruges > Klaipeda > Riga > Rotterdam Green Finland X-PRESS (GFX): Rotterdam > Antwerp Bruges > Helsinki > Tallinn > HaminaKotka > Rotterdam
These services are scheduled to commence in Q3 2024, marking a significant step towards more environmentally sustainable shipping services in Europe.
This development is significant as these will be the very first scheduled feeder routes in Europe powered by green methanol, an alternative fuel that produces at least 60% less greenhouse gas emissions than conventional marine fuel.
(Photo from X Press Feeders)
