New consortium eyes green corridor between Canada, Japan and South Korea

Industry leaders from North America, Asia and Europe have formed the North Pacific Green Corridor Consortium (NPGCC) whose members and partners will work together to decarbonize the value chain for commodities between North America and Asia.

As informed, the NPGCC will apply its collective expertise to develop a corridor for decarbonizing the transportation of multiple commodities, including agricultural products, metal concentrates and steelmaking coal.

The members of the NPGCC said they are committed to establishing the consortium as ‘a catalyst for decarbonization efforts’, exploring new markets for low-carbon fuels in North America and Asia, exploring propulsion options, and showcasing how carbon reduction initiatives can strengthen commercial partnerships.

The NPGCC brings together diverse sections of the value chain including bulk commodity producers, railway and intermodal transportation providers, marine vessel owners and operators, port facilities and port authorities, and clean technology providers.

The nine founding members are Canadian National Railway Company (CN), Mitsubishi Canada, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, NYK Bulk & Projects Carriers, Oldendorff Carriers, Prince Rupert Port Authority, Teck Resources Limited (Teck), Trigon Pacific Terminals, and Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. The NPGCC is open to additional members and partners, in particular end-use customers, to contribute to the development and implementation of the green trade corridor.

The NPGCC’s activities will focus on pathways to optimize energy efficiency with the specific goal of advancing projects and infrastructure required to achieve meaningful emissions reductions in the near term. Consideration will be given to the potential production, storage and bunkering of lower-carbon fuels and propulsion options for use by NPGCC members and other parties.

The NPGCC will also engage in research, knowledge-sharing, advocacy, member coordination and recruitment to accelerate members’ progress towards their decarbonization objectives.

“The launch of the North Pacific Green Corridor Consortium is a major step forward in achieving a sustainable and decarbonized future for the critical minerals value chain. The NPGCC aligns with the Government of Canada’s Green Shipping Corridors Framework by fostering international collaboration and setting ambitious milestones to create a net-zero future from producer to shipper to customer. Teck is excited to join the consortium partners on this major decarbonization initiative as part of our ambition to achieve net-zero Scope 3 emissions by 2050,” Ian Anderson, Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Teck, said.

“Oldendorff welcomes this opportunity to work with key coalition partners to drive a decarbonized supply chain. We are continuously looking for ways to reduce the environmental footprint of our shipping services, and the establishment of the North Pacific Green Corridor Consortium is an exciting milestone on this path,” Linda Kongerslev, Director, Global Engagement & Sustainability, Oldendorff Carriers, commented.

“We are delighted to join the North Pacific Green Corridor Consortium, which aims to realize decarbonized transport between Canada, Japan, and South Korea. The NYK Group is working to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, which aligns with the NPGCC’s objective. We will keep moving toward global decarbonization and a sustainable society together with our customers and partners through safe and clean transportation,” Tatsuhiko Asami, General Manager, Business Group No. 1 at NYK Bulk & Projects Carriers, noted.

“As a gateway terminal, we strongly believe in the importance of collaboration across the value chain to advance decarbonization and deliver meaningful, lasting benefits. This is why we are strong supporters of the NPGC,” Robert Booker, Chief Executive Officer of Trigon Pacific Terminals, pointed out.

“CN is proud to join this collaborative and innovative initiative with partners that also recognize that our climate is changing and that businesses must not merely adapt, but be part of the solution. An ecosystem of collaboration across the value chain is key in achieving an effective transition to a low-carbon future,” François Bélanger, Senior Director, Sustainability, Canadian National Railway Company, stated.

“Mitsubishi Canada Ltd. is thrilled to be one of the initial members of the NPGCC. We look forward to collaborating with each of the members and to seeing what we can accomplish when likeminded organizations from disparate industries join together to help promote and accelerate pathways to green and sustainable supply chains across the Pacific,” Michael Lagowski, Senior Vice President, Coordination & Strategic Planning, Mitsubishi Canada, said.