On 28 September, MSC and the China Waterborne Transport Research Institute, an agency under China’s Ministry of Transport, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreement to jointly promote decarbonisation and sustainable development of the shipping industry.

This is the first time MSC is partnering with a major institution in China to explore the technical pathway for decarbonisation.

The three-year agreement will leverage on the strengths of both parties to explore innovative ways to jointly cooperate on relevant research and activities,  and discuss progress to find the range of solutions that will make maritime transportation even more efficient while continuing to serve as the backbone of global trade.

Mr Bud Darr, Executive Vice President Maritime Policy and Government Affairs, MSC Group and Mr Fei Wei Jun, President of China Waterborne Transport Research Institute, signed the agreement in an online ceremony on behalf of both organisations.

“The path to decarbonisation will require strong partnerships with key stakeholders across various business sectors and government.  We are very excited to announce our partnership with the China Waterborne Transport Research Institute on this hugely important global priority. Sustainability and focus on climate issues have been fast-rising up the agenda in China, and we are looking forward to closely collaborating with the China Waterborne Transport Research Institute to accelerate innovation and R&D we urgently need to reach a net-zero carbon future for shipping,” said Darr.

Under the MoU framework, both organisations will establish a collaborative process dedicated to R&D, knowledge sharing and business collaboration. A designated chairperson from each organisation will jointly lead the steering committee, with a working committee in charge of implementing the activities. Industrial experts will also be invited to conduct assessments on the results of the research studies.

A number of specific studies and projects are already lined up for the near future, including studies on the technical pathway and relevant policies for low-carbon development of the Chinese shipping industry, strategy and roadmap for the energy structure of shipping.

Decarbonisation is at the top of MSC’s agenda. It is one of the biggest challenges that the world and the shipping industry faces and will remain a key priority for decades to come. MSC is actively working to further improve the efficiency of the container ships in its fleet to help reduce emissions. To complement the company’s massive investment in energy efficiency, it continues to study a range of different future fuel options such as hydrogen, ammonia, methanol and synthetic fuels.