Canadian shipping body advocates policy support for US-Canada green shipping corridor

Canada’s Chamber of Marine Commerce (CMC) has urged the Canadian government to support "parity in policy and investment" between the US and Canada to establish a green shipping corridor between the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence region.

PHOTO: The Port of Duluth-Superior located along the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway System. Chamber of Marine Commerce via David Schauer

CMC highlights that the US has recently announced an allocation of $370 billion for Inflation Reduction Act - a US policy that supports investment in green technologies and infrastructure.

However, "no directly equivalent undertaking " is currently available in Canada, the organisation argues in its '2023 wish list' document.

The green shipping corridor aims to reduce carbon emissions from short-sea shipping vessels deployed on the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence and arctic trading route, CMC says.

CMC is Canada-based bi-national organisation that represents over 100 Canadian and US-based shipowners, ports and other marine-related companies.

Canada and the US announced plans to establish a green shipping corridor in the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Seaway System at the COP27 climate conference last November.

The US Department of Transportation stated that initiative is critical to boost the development of low- and zero-emission fuels and related infrastructure in both countries.

The Great Lakes - St. Lawrence Seaway System is a 3,700 km-long commercial waterway that connects over 110 ports between the US and Canada. The waterway transports approximately 200 million mt/year of cargo, according to the US Embassy in Canada.

By Konica Bhatt

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