Consortium aims to decarbonize transpacific shipping

A new industry group, the North Pacific Green Corridor Consortium (NPGCC), has been formed to work on decarbonizing commodities transportation routes between North America and Asia.

The NPGCC brings together 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 Ltd., 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.

“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,” said François Bélanger, CN’s senior director of sustainability, and member of the NPGCC board.

“An ecosystem of collaboration across the value chain is key in achieving an effective transition to a low-carbon future. CN is committed to playing a key role in the transition to a low-carbon economy as our strategy to reduce our emissions contributes to reducing the Scope 3 emissions of our customers.”

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 will develop a corridor for the decarbonized transportation of multiple commodities, including agricultural products, metal concentrates and steelmaking coal. The members of the NPGCC 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’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 members and other parties.

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

“Oldendorff welcomes this opportunity to work with key coalition partners to drive a decarbonized supply chain,” said Linda Kongerslev, Oldendorff’s director, global engagement and sustainability.

“We are continuously looking for ways to reduce the environmental footprint of our shipping services, and the establishment of the North Pacific Green Corridor is an exciting milestone on this path.”

The NPGCC was initiated in June 2023 when senior representatives of Teck joined Canada’s Minister of Transport at the G7 Transport Ministers’ Summit in Japan to present the vision to the world. Its members represent approximately 25 percent of the more than 100 million tonnes of bulk commodity products shipped annually through the ports of Vancouver and Prince Rupert.

The organization has been incorporated as a Canadian not-for-profit organization, based in Vancouver, British Columbia. Core members of the NPGCC have entered a Memorandum of Understanding to facilitate collaboration and achievement of interim and long-term goals.