HONG KONG - "We cannot stop the ongoing geopolitical headwinds, but we can steer our sails and navigate toward net zero through greater synergy," shipping industry professionals told a seminar held here on Wednesday.

Hosted by the Hong Kong Shipowners Association (HKSOA), the seminar gathered more than 200 shipowners, shipping industry experts, and practitioners from home and abroad to discuss strategies for decarbonizing the shipping industry and promoting sustainable development.

Participants also aimed to leverage Hong Kong's unique advantages and platform to align with the mandates under a landmark agreement, approved by the United Nations (UN) International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC83) in London last week.

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In his keynote address, Liu Chun-san, under secretary for Transport and Logistics of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government, highlighted the significance of IMO's historic framework for the global shipping industry.

Hong Kong has pioneered in supporting the IMO's green shipping policies related to carbon intensity indicators and is advancing toward becoming a green marine fuel bunkering and trading center, with hopes of strengthening collaboration with industry partners, he noted.

Stakeholders must work together to assist shipowners in adapting to the evolving regulatory landscape and the challenges posed by rapid technological advancements, said Shen Tao, director of Sustainability of Eastern Hemisphere of American Bureau of Shipping.

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He expressed the confidence that Hong Kong will play a pivotal role in driving the decarbonization and green transition of the shipping sector, gathering relevant resources and amplifying industry voices.

Sandy Chan, HKSOA's managing director, told Xinhua that the HKSAR Chief Executive's 2024 Policy Address and the Action Plan on Green Marine Fuel Bunkering published last November explicitly outline the goal of "building a green shipping corridor", which has generated widespread anticipation.

Hong Kong looks forward to collaborating with partners across the shipping industry to translate the MEPC framework into action, Chan said, adding that HKSOA also aims to continue making positive contributions to the transformation and sustainable development of the shipping industry in HKSAR, China, and the whole world.

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On April 11, the IMO announced the approval of the draft amendment to Annex VI of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, mandating the implementation of the IMO's net-zero emissions framework.

The framework is the first to combine mandatory emissions limits and greenhouse gas pricing across an entire industry sector.