The Panama Canal becomes the first Latin American organization to join the Alliance, consolidating its position as an environmental steward for the shipping industry.
Panama City, Panama, March 18, 2019 – The Panama Canal formally joined the Global Industry Alliance (GIA), a
public-private partnership initiative of the International Maritime
Organization (IMO) under the framework of the Global Maritime Energy Efficiency
Partnership (GloMEEP) Project, which is a Global Environment Facility
(GEF)-United Nations Development Program (UNPD)-IMO project comprised of
maritime industry leaders working to improve energy efficiency and reduce
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in international shipping.
Panama Canal Administrator Jorge L. Quijano made the announcement today during
a signing ceremony inducting the waterway into the GIA at the Panama Maritime
World Conference and Exhibition, where IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim was in
attendance. The announcement took place after the Panama Canal signed a letter
of agreement on Friday, March 15 officially joining this group of global
industry leaders.
“Today’s announcement marks a proud milestone for the Panama Canal and its long
legacy as the Green Route of world maritime trade,” said Panama Canal
Administrator Quijano. “Given our roots in sustainability and innovation, this
partnership reaffirms the Canal’s commitment to leading our industry to a
cleaner and more efficient future.”
Launched in June 2017, the GIA is a partnership of 18 leading maritime
organizations working together to share their expertise and provide technical
input towards the implementation of concrete activities that can support the
shipping industry’s transition to a low carbon future. The GIA members aim to
do so by identifying and developing innovative solutions that address common
barriers to the uptake and implementation of energy efficient technologies and
operational measures. The Panama Canal will become the first Latin American
organization to join the GIA.
The Panama Canal’s inclusion in the GIA falls in line with the waterway’s
almost 105-year history of environmental stewardship. Since opening in 1914,
the Panama Canal’s strategic geographic location has enabled vessels to shorten
the distance and duration of their voyages compared to alternate routes, thus
reducing costs and GHG emissions. In combination with the introduction of the
Expanded Panama Canal in 2016, which offers greater cargo carrying capacity and
requires less cargo movements, the Panama Canal is estimated to have saved more
than 750 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions over the course of its
history.
The Panama Canal has also been recognized for its pioneering sustainability
initiatives, such as its Green Connection Environmental Recognition Program,
which consists of the Green Connection Award, the Environmental Premium Ranking and the Emissions Calculator. Together, the three
tools promote emissions reductions by recognizing and incentivizing vessels
that comply with the highest environmental performance standards while helping
others mitigate their own environmental footprints. The Emissions Calculator
also helps the Panama Canal measure and reduce its own carbon footprint,
operate more efficiently, develop a low carbon strategy and pursue a path
towards becoming a “Carbon Neutral” entity.
The GIA members include
ABB Engineering (Shanghai) Ltd.; Bureau Veritas; DNV GL SE;
Grimaldi Group; Lloyd’s Register EMEA; Maersk; MarineTraffic; MSC Mediterranean
Shipping Company S.A.; Port of Rotterdam; Ricardo UK Ltd.; Royal Caribbean
Cruises Ltd.; Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Limited;
Silverstream Technologies; Stena AB; Total Marine Fuels Pte Ltd.; Wärtsilä
Corporation; and Winterthur Gas & Diesel Ltd.
About the Panama Canal Authority (ACP)
The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) is an autonomous legal entity of the Republic of Panama in charge of the operation, administration, management, preservation, maintenance, and modernization of the Panama Canal, as well as its activities and related services, so that the Canal may operate in a safe, continuous, efficient manner. For more information, please refer to the ACP’s website: http://www.pancanal.com or follow us on Twitter @thepanamacanal.
