Canada embarks on Green Shipping Corridor Program to help cut shipping pollution

The Canadian government is launching a new program that will establish green shipping corridors and help decarbonize the marine sector in major shipping areas along the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence Seaway, and Canada’s east and west coasts.

The Green Shipping Corridor Program, an investment of $165.4 million, was announced by Pablo Rodriguez, Canada’s Minister of Transport, on December 1, 2023.

In addition, the minister launched a call for proposals under this program.

The program will be delivered through the following two streams of funding, both of which will contribute to reducing Canada’s pollution in the marine sector and to the development of green shipping corridors that ensure shipping is clean and reliable:

• The Clean Ports stream, which will provide funding to support the adoption of clean technology and infrastructure at ports and terminals; and
• The Clean Vessel Demonstration stream, which will provide funding to study, test, and pilot clean fuel propulsion systems for shipping vessels.

As explained, the program will support the delivery of innovative projects in the marine sector to help keep our economy growing strong, ensure goods get to Canadians, and keep our air clean.

“With the new Green Shipping Corridor Program, Canada is taking another step towards meeting its commitment to net-zero emissions by 2050. We can work together to establish green shipping corridors to decarbonize the marine sector along the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence Seaway, as well as Canada’s east and west coasts,” Rodriguez said.

“The Government of Canada is making smart investments to ensure that our critically important supply chains – the economic links that ensure affordable goods and products are delivered to market and to Canadians – are as sustainable and competitive as possible. Today’s investment is key to accelerating the uptake of clean technologies, fuels and or energy sources, here in British Columbia and across the country,” Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, commented. 

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In November 2021, during the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), Canada signed on to the Clydebank Declaration to support the establishment of zero-emission maritime routes between two or more ports, known as green shipping corridors. Canadian stakeholders have been leaders in the early development of green shipping corridors by signing agreements to pursue green shipping corridors on routes including Montreal – Anvers, Halifax – Hamburg, and Pacific Northwest – Alaska.

Canada is also working with several partners to pursue additional green shipping corridors. The Green Shipping Corridor Program is a key pillar of the Government of Canada’s activities and investments to support transportation decarbonization and to accelerate the transition to zero and near-zero greenhouse gas emission fuels and technologies in the marine sector.

Since 2016, the country has dedicated $3.5 billion to the Oceans Protection Plan, making it the largest investment Canada has ever made to protect its coasts and waterways.

In related news, Canada has been re-elected to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council in Category B — states with the largest interest in international seaborne trade — for the 2024-25 term.