Govt to create national maritime emissions action plan states a DCN news channel.
Maritime Emissions Reduction National Action Plan
THE AUSTRALIAN government has announced plans to develop a Maritime Emissions Reduction National Action Plan.
The plan is to chart a practical green transition for the maritime sector, while also working with other nations on low and zero emissions maritime operations.
The government intends to develop the plan, MERNAP, in consultation with the maritime industry.
Minister for infrastructure, transport, regional development and local government Catherine King expects the plan to allow Australian businesses to capitalise on new economic and trade opportunities.
Drive emissions reduction
“We are also committed to helping drive emissions reduction in international shipping,” she said.
“The government has legislated global ship energy efficiency improvement measures to reduce the carbon intensity of ships visiting Australian waters.”
Ms King announced the MERNAP during the 2023 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) transportation ministerial meeting, which she is attending in the US.
Ms King said Australia plans to collaborate with the ports and transport agencies of other APEC member nations to advance ambition of low and zero emissions maritime operations.
She said the APEC transportation ministerial meeting launched the APEC Green Maritime Collaboration project on Tuesday this week.
“It will support participating Asia-Pacific countries to embed climate principles in their maritime policies and investments – while ensuring their ports remain competitive,” she said.
“This builds on the International Maritime Organization adopting an ambition of decarbonising shipping by 2050 this year.
“To demonstrate the feasibility of low emission shipping, our government is spearheading the development of a green and digital shipping corridor under the Singapore Green Economy Agreement, while also working with the United States, Japan and India in the Quad Shipping Taskforce to establish green shipping corridors in the Indo-Pacific by 2030.”
Ms King said representatives from government, maritime, energy, port, shipping and academic sectors will come together to provide expert input and help develop the plan over the next 12 months.
The government intends to develop a paper for public consultation and engage with state and territory governments on the plan in the second half of 2023.
The final MERNAP is scheduled to be delivered to the government for approval in mid-2024.
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Source: The DCN
