Port of Melbourne has signed an agreement with the Port of Shanghai to develop a Green Shipping Corridor between the two ports. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was formalised at the 2025 North Bund Forum in Shanghai on 19 October, with support from the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group.
The initiative brings together Port of Melbourne and the Shanghai Municipal Transportation Commission (SMTC) to advance decarbonisation within the maritime supply chain, in line with the Clydebank Declaration.
© Port of Melbourne
Under the MoU, both parties will work with industry partners, including Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG), COSCO SHIPPING Lines, HAMR Energy, and ABEL Energy, to explore ways to reduce the environmental impact of shipping operations.
The collaboration will focus on measures such as adopting cleaner technologies, increasing the use of renewable energy, and implementing best practices to reduce emissions. Efforts will also be directed toward supporting shipping lines using clean fuels and increasing the number of low-emission vessels operating between Shanghai and Melbourne.
The ports will engage with energy suppliers to improve low-carbon fuel production, efficiency, and cost control, and to build an integrated supply chain for the production, transportation, and storage of cleaner fuels.
Port of Melbourne Chief Executive Officer Saul Cannon said, "This MoU is a development in our work towards decarbonising the supply chain. Given Australia's position as an island nation that relies heavily on sea freight, we have a key role in global efforts to decarbonise shipping."
"As Australia's largest container port working together with the world's largest container port, we are well-placed to lead by example in creating a more sustainable future for our industry," he added.
China is Port of Melbourne's largest trading partner, accounting for about 50% of total container imports and 20% of container exports. With the high trade volume between the two ports, the collaboration is expected to support environmental improvements across shared maritime routes. The agreement builds on an existing partnership between the Port of Melbourne and SMTC that began in 2006.
© Port of MelbourneFor more information:
Nicole Ng
Port of Melbourne
Tel: +61 (0) 427 700 844
Email: [email protected]
www.portofmelbourne.com
