Initiative to Create First Green Shipping Corridor Between China and France

HAROPA PORT, Zhejiang Provincial Seaport Group, Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore (BV), China Waterborne Transport Research Institute, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) and Terminal Investment Limited (TiL) recently signed a strategic agreement launching the creation of the first green shipping corridor between France and China.

This initiative aligns with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2023 strategy for achieving carbon neutrality by or around 2050, the Paris Agreement (COP21), the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Franco-Chinese initiative for a green and low-carbon maritime industry, as well as the Clydebank Declaration, of which France is a signatory.

China is HAROPA PORT’s leading trading partner, accounting for 30% of its container traffic. Ningbo Zhoushan Port, the world’s largest port by total cargo tonnage and the third largest in terms of container throughput, represents 22% of this volume. Given the high level of trade between the two ports, this green corridor will contribute to the decarbonization of maritime transport.

A corridor based on concrete actions

The strategic agreement notably provides opportunities for:

• the deployment of shore-side electricity connections for vessels,
• the progressive electrification of terminals and port equipment using renewable or low-carbon energy sources,
• the establishment of supply chains for alternative fuels (such as LNG, bio-LNG, , green ammonia, and green hydrogen),
• the development of low-carbon hinterland connections, particularly via inland waterway and rail transport,
• the exploration of implementation of on-board CCUS (carbon capture, utilization and storage) pilot projects.

The strategic agreement serves as an operational framework for mobilizing all stakeholders across the value chain.