Tool developed to assist shipping stakeholders in ascertaining best ports for sustainable first-mover initiatives

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and Lloyd’s Register (LR) Maritime Decarbonisation Hub, in partnership with Arup, have launched the Sustainable First Movers Initiative Identification Tool which would help shipping stakeholders align investment decisions that help the maritime energy transition away from fossil fuels.
The tool scores a port’s potential to produce and bunker electrofuels while transporting local environmental and community benefits in association with the global temperature target of 1.5 degrees Celsius set by the Paris Agreement.

Marie Cabbia Hubatova, director of global shipping at EDF stated that ports play an important role in kick starting shipping’s decarbonisation process even before global policies are established and by allowing for the impact sustainable first mover initiatives can have on port-side communities, climate, environment and economies, resources can be improved and directed to locations where these initiatives will make a greater impact.

With close to 2 billion people living in coastal zones globally, it is important to consider the role of local port communities and their impacts as the sector decarbonizes.

The tool analyzes 108 ports in the Indo-Pacific region based on land suitability, air quality, renewable energy surplus, economic resilience, and shipping.

The study includes investigating different types of ports such as ports that are looking at fuel production and bunkering, ports that are considering exporting fuel, and ports that are exploring fuel imports and bunkering. By evaluating various criteria and scenarios, the research aims to identify ports that have the potential to take the first step towards sustainable initiatives that can lead to significant reductions in emissions and create a positive impact on nearby communities, such as improved air quality and economic stability.

Dr. Carlo Raucci, a consultant at Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub reacted to the development stating that the shift towards clean energy for the shipping industry can only be realized when all stakeholders work together. As per her, the first step towards achieving this goal is to identify potential port locations. She further added that this approach lays the foundation for a sustainable transition at a regional level that takes into account the impact on port-side communities and the need to prevent regions in the Global South from trailing behind.

The tool can be customized based on the needs and goals of stakeholders, and its suitability depends on the desirability of the scenario. The next phase of this initiative will involve selecting and thoroughly evaluating ten ports to gain a better understanding of local requirements.