The World Ports Climate Action Program (WPCAP) will be extended with a new focus on shore power, new fuels, and green shipping corridors. This was agreed by the twelve port authorities that are members of the programme, at a meeting held in Rotterdam two weeks ago to mark the occasion of the first five years of the program. A recent study from CE Delft for WPCAP shows that shore power will be part of the long-term maritime fuel mix, especially when ships will have to shift to expensive fossil free fuels. A dedicated WPCAP working group is bringing this message to the maritime shipping industry and continues advocating its global implementation. The second focus area for WPCAP in the coming years is to facilitate the bunkering and adoption of cleaner fuels. The ports have worked with the IAPH Clean Marine Fuels working group to create a Port Readiness Framework, a self-assessment and communications tool that allows various stakeholders to understand the different levels of research, development and deployment of new fuels at ports around the world – with WPCAP ports taking the lead. Where the fuel readiness framework will set the standard for the bunkering of new fuels, green corridor initiatives are seen as key to facilitate the deployment of fuels in practice, particularly on longer international shipping routes. At the Rotterdam meeting, the WPCAP leadership called on regional coalitions of the willing to set standards and lead the way for the IMO and the international shipping industry to put in place regulation that will allow the sustainable development of the industry on a level playing field. The need for a just transition was also emphasised in the discussion, noting the southern hemisphere should benefit in particular from opportunities in the development of renewable energy sources and fuels. Cooperation between global ports, IAPH and other frontrunners will play a key role in this. WPCAP is a cooperation of leading international ports which exchange best practices and act as frontrunners in reducing emissions from the shipping industry. Members are the ports of Antwerp-Bruges, Barcelona, Gothenburg, Hamburg, HAROPA Port (Le Havre – Rouen – Paris), Long Beach, Los Angeles, New York / New Jersey, Rotterdam, Valencia, Vancouver and Yokohama. IAPH supports WPCAP through the platform of its World Ports Sustainability Program.
Port of Rotterdam CEO Allard Castelein welcoming WPCAP members in Rotterdam
