Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore (BV) says it recently took part in the GBA Clean Energy Supply Chain Conference organised by Hong Kong Chamber of Shipping (HKCoS).
Following the success of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Clean Energy Supply Chain Workshop in November 2024, the conference brought together industry stakeholders from across the maritime sector to discuss the critical pathways that will support the development of the industry’s energy transition, including alternative fuels, electrification, and green corridors.
Supporting the development of decarbonisation initiatives across the GBA maritime ecosystem, as well as developing Hong Kong as a green shipping centre, is expected to provide a significant contribution to the IMO’s 2050 GHG reduction targets and establish pathways and models to accelerate the net zero transition of global shipping.
BV Sustainability Manager, North Asia Zone, Gerrit Bunt provided an overview of the new GHG fuel intensity (GFI) measures, outlining the likely impact that the introduction of the GFI will have on owners and operators in their efforts to remain compliant.
Alex Gregg-Smith, BV SVP, Asia Pacific, took part in a panel discussion on the global impact of IMO’s MEPC 83. He shared expertise and insight across all three decarbonisation enablers, exploring the opportunities and challenges that the maritime industry faces in achieving its net-zero 2050 targets, whilst illustrating the importance of establishing Hong Kong as a green port centre that is primed to support net-zero shipping.
Gregg-Smith said: “The GBA has a fantastic opportunity to benefit from the leading position China has in green methanol production to establish green corridors and a bunkering infrastructure, but the time is right now for policy regulation to be put in place the right conditions and investment to make this happen. We look forward to supporting the next steps.”
Nick Brown, BV Corporate Affairs Director, added: “Today’s conference has provided a unique opportunity to explore the available technologies and pathways that will transform Hong Kong and the GBA into a thriving green maritime hub of the future. Hong Kong exists in a unique ecosystem with the GBA’s maritime activity, including three of biggest container ports in the world, shipyards including one of the largest in China, and a myriad of other cargo and shipping activities as well as finance, legal, insurance and the world’s third part ship management centre of gravity. Today’s conference and workshops focused on the potential for a new green fuel supply chain to develop in China, the need to provide onshore electrical power in Hong Kong’s ports and the preconditions for financeable models for green corridors into and out of GBA ports.”
Image: Alex Gregg-Smith (second from left), BV SVP APA, at a panel discussion (source: Bureau Veritas)
