The Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) and the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH) have announced a two-year coalition to accelerate the decarbonisation of global port operations. Signed during the IAPH World Ports Conference in Kobe, Japan, the agreement brings together technical expertise and a vast international network to advance readiness for shipping’s fuel transition.
The partnership will link GCMD’s experience in closing operational and safety gaps in the deployment of new fuels with IAPH’s Clean Marine Fuels and Port Readiness working groups. Together, they will focus on advancing alternative fuel bunkering, developing new port infrastructure, and informing regulatory frameworks for low- and zero-carbon shipping.
IAPH represents more than 200 port authorities and operators across over 85 countries, positioning it as a key facilitator in shaping the global infrastructure required for maritime decarbonisation. GCMD, based in Singapore, has been instrumental in running pilot projects that test new fuel technologies and carbon capture processes under real-world conditions.
Professor Lynn Loo, CEO of GCMD, said that ports have been pivotal to nearly all of the organisation’s demonstration projects. ‘Whether in enabling the world’s first ship-to-ship ammonia transfer at the Pilbara, bunkering across six biofuel supply chains in Singapore or the Port of Rotterdam, or demonstrating the full value chain for onboard captured CO2 in China, ports have been central to success. Our collaboration with IAPH brings global reach and influence that will help us deepen our work with ports, turning pilot learnings into scalable operations essential for the energy transition.’
Dr Patrick Verhoeven, Managing Director of IAPH, noted that the partnership would help reduce uncertainty around the substantial capital investments required for port upgrades. ‘We look forward to teaming up with GCMD’s experts, who will work with our port members to co-develop tools to further accelerate the decarbonisation of the maritime sector and to de-risk long-term investments in port infrastructure,’ he said.
Both organisations are members of the Clean Energy Marine Hubs (CEM-HUBS) initiative, a public-private platform under the Clean Energy Ministerial. The initiative seeks to align governments and industry on standards and infrastructure for the transport and use of low-carbon fuels. GCMD and IAPH’s collaboration under this framework is expected to strengthen the maritime industry’s contribution to global energy transition efforts.
The new agreement follows a similar two-year coalition formed earlier this year between GCMD and INTERCARGO to develop decarbonisation initiatives in the dry bulk sector. These partnerships represent a concerted effort to align operational practices, regulatory development, and infrastructure planning as shipping prepares for large-scale adoption of new energy carriers.
