Innovations in Greenhouse Gas Reduction in East and Southeast Asia’s Maritime Sector

This is a regional project meeting that discussed the progress of the Blue Solutions project preparation phase. 

In June 2021, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) embarked on the planning and preparation of a project designed to build and enhance greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction strategies and capacities in the maritime sector among East and Southeast Asian countries. The IMO/PEMSEA project, which is funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the Federal Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMU) of Germany, focuses on interface areas and interactions across ships, ports, and hinterland transport. 

Recognizing that decarbonization of the sector requires a transitioning approach with short-, medium-, and long-term targets, initial actions under the project include assessment of emission or energy efficiency baselines and forecasts, development of national strategies and roadmaps, and pilot trials of potential technology solutions and optimized processes for interfacing of shipping to ports and hinterland transport. All actions focus on reducing GHG and other pollutant emissions from ships, in ports, and from the linked hinterland transport. All activities will be coupled with capacity building and knowledge exchange initiatives. 

The regional meeting provided an opportunity for the beneficiary countries of the IMO/PEMSEA project, namely Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam, to share information on their respective national GHG pilot projects, including their potential contributions to the achievement of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).