Canada and UAE back ‘Clean Energy Marine Hubs’ initiative

The initiative is a brainchild of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH), and the corporate heads-led Clean Energy Maritime Taskforce.

PHOTO: View of Musaffah Port, a deep-water facility based in the Musaffah Industrial Area of Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi Ports

Introduced at the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) meeting in Pittsburgh today, the initiative aims to advance production, export and import of low-carbon fuels across a host of countries.

It will provide a platform for players across the energy-maritime value chain, including ports, shipping and finance. And the partners will work towards development and deployment of clean bunker fuels.

ICS and IAPH will commence the work with support from governments represented at the CEM meeting.

CEM is a partnership of 29 energy ministers working to accelerate the global clean energy transition.

“Securing the backing of national governments, like that of Canada and the UAE today, will help kickstart collaboration between energy producers and the entire maritime value chain in getting those first hubs established,” IAPH managing director Patrick Verhoeven said.

The UAE is currently spearheading some projects to expand its hydrogen economy, Nawal Alhanaee said. She is the future energy department director of the UAE's Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure

Abu Dhabi National Energy Company, also known as Taqa, and Abu Dhabi Ports are developing a 2-gigawatt green ammonia project. The facility will produce green hydrogen and process it into liquid ammonia, which will be both used as bunker fuel and for export from Abu Dhabi.

These efforts “will reinforce the UAE’s position as a key competitive maritime hub,” Alhanaee said.

In its Energy Strategy 2050, the UAE aims for its energy mix to be made up of a combination of renewable and low-carbon energy sources.

A dedicated CEM Taskforce will now work with the governments of Canada and the UAE, along with other governments to formulate a tangible workplan for the next CEM meeting.

The Clean Energy Marine Hubs Initiative is backed by more than 150 corporate heads and government representatives, who voted for its creation at an ICS summit in June this year.

By Shilpa Sharma

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