Egypt edges closer to national maritime decarbonization plan

National efforts to decarbonize the maritime transport industry have intensified in Egypt, inching closer to being developed into a national action plan (NAP) that would tackle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions both from vessels and ports.

As disclosed, the NAP is being crafted with support from the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) GreenVoyage2050 program, a technical cooperation kickstarted by the IMO to help developing nations slash GHG emissions from shipping, in line with the 2023 IMO GHG Strategy.

As informed, during a recent meeting in Alexandria—which was co-organized by the Egyptian Maritime Transport and Logistics Sector— a number of maritime and energy sector stakeholders held discussions on creating a shared national vision, identifying priority actions, examining financing opportunities and ‘bolstering’ capacity-building efforts for the country’s maritime decarbonization journey.

Breakout sessions on shipping, ports, and energy reportedly also underlined sector-specific challenges and opportunities, with cross-cutting discussions that revolved around regulations and their implementation.

In addition to this, according to the IMO, the meeting attendees committed to inter-agency cooperation and stakeholder engagement in the formulation of the NAP, the draft framework of which is anticipated to be unveiled for consultation later this year.

Speaking about this development, Subaskar Sitsabeshan, Programme Officer at the GreenVoyage2050 initiative, highlighted: “Egypt’s leadership in green shipping, anchored by the Suez Canal, has the power to shape sustainable trade routes far beyond its borders. This transition is a strategic economic opportunity that can attract investment, build capacity, and strengthen the resilience of Egypt’s maritime sector.”

Backed by funding from Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Norway, the GreenVoyage2050 program is steadily expanding, welcoming new partner countries each year, both from the Global North and from the Global South.

Currently in its second phase, which is envisaged to last between 2024 and 2030, GreenVoyage2050 has been supporting partner countries, including Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Mexico and Nigeria, in developing national action plans while also implementing pilot projects in Türkiye, India, Indonesia and Vietnam to test practical solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from ships.

Egypt, which is part of an expanding bloc of emerging markets known as the ‘new industrial sunbelt’, has made decarbonization a priority for its maritime industry, with increasing investments in green port development, alternative fuel production, and regional cooperation.

The potential here appears substantial. According to a recent study conducted by Mission Possible Partnership (MPP), countries like Egypt, Brazil, Morocco, Indonesia, and India now account for 59% of the global $1.6 trillion pipeline of announced but not yet financed projects. In comparison, the US represents 18%, the EU 10% and China just 6%.

As spotlighted in MPP’s report, adequate policy support has been one of the core elements of these nations’ climate neutrality ambitions, particularly as regulatory frameworks could help reduce emissions by over 95% by 2050.

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