The Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) and PSA International (PSA) announced a five-year strategic partnership to advance collaboration on maritime decarbonisation initiatives across global port ecosystems.
PSA is the first port operator to join GCMD as a Strategic partner, contributing port-side insights to drive the trial of new technologies and solutions across the maritime value chain.
The development of supporting infrastructure, such as onshore power supply, storage and handling facilities, and bunkering systems for new fuels, like ammonia and methanol, is important for the shipping sector’s fuel and energy transition.
This also includes establishing specific operational and bunkering guidelines, articulating emergency response protocols, and conducting rigorous safety and risk assessments tailored to port environments.
Further, the readiness of port infrastructure along with its downstream logistics and distribution network, is crucial for deploying emissions removal solutions like onboard carbon capture and liquid CO2 (LCO2) transport – a key focus area of GCMD’s work to scale maritime decarbonisation.
Given the challenges associated with alternative fuels like ammonia, the active involvement of ports will help facilitate the adoption of these fuels, according to the statement. As the number of shipping vessels seeking such fuels will grow in the coming years, ports will need to adjust existing operational protocols to minimise disruptions to cargo operations when bunkering with new fuels.
GCMD aims to leverage PSA’s global terminals to assess gaps and help ready ports and terminals for such operations, starting with the harmonisation of safety standards and protocols.
Professor Lynn Loo, CEO of GCMD, said, “Given the safety considerations of alternative fuels and the complexities of deploying decarbonisation solutions, port operators are crucial partners for GCMD. Their involvement is key to making the use of future fuels and the offloading of CO2 a routine part of port operations.”
Ong Kim Pong, Group CEO, PSA International, commented, “As momentum builds in the maritime sector’s shift towards cleaner energy, the urgency to decarbonise and adopt low- or zero-carbon fuels and technologies has intensified.”
