The government has taken initial action to join the more than 50 green corridor projects, a global decarbonisation agenda to help mitigate emissions of greenhouse gases contributing to climate change, the Deputy Minister of Transport has said. 

Ms Dorcas Affo-Toffey said the government was also committed to providing policy and regulatory frameworks, while exploring sustainable financing models to support the establishment of green shipping corridors in the country.

The deputy minister was speaking at the opening of the Green Shipping Corridors Pre-Feasibility Study Consortium Incubation Workshop held in Accra last Wednesday.

It was organised by the Ghana Maritime Authority and under the auspices of the Ministry of Transport; in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, the Ghana Shippers Authority (GSA) and supported by the Maersk McKinney Moller Centre for Zero Carbon Shipping. 

Ms Affo-Toffey emphasised the government’s commitment to climate change mitigation, saying its climate actions have been guided by Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.

The country is also a signatory to many relevant international environmental preservation and climate change treaties.

These climate action commitments, she said, were further strengthened under the current administration, as for the first time, the nation has established a ministry for "Energy and Green Transition", alongside a dedicated Minister for "Climate Change and Sustainability", which is a clear signal of the resolve of the country.

The deputy minister emphasised that with the shipping industry accounting for approximately three per cent of global emissions, projections suggest a potential rise if urgent action is not taken.

She affirmed that the government was also cautious of the cost burdens and implementation challenges associated with the shipping decarbonisation measures, especially for a country such as Ghana, which is not a historical contributor to the global climate crisis.

“It is expected that implementing the shipping Green House Gas (GHG) measures would negatively impact GDP, food security, trade and consumer prices for Ghana and many African countries. Steps must, therefore, be taken to mitigate these impacts,” she said. 

Complexities of transition

The Director-General (DG) of the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), Captain Ali Kamal-Deen (Rtd), emphasised the complexities of transitioning to green technologies, particularly for developing countries such as Ghana.

He pointed out how the nation could balance transitions in technology, as well as to green fuels with shipping costs that would not significantly affect the price of food items and basic commodities.

The DG stated that the GMA was dedicated to taking bold steps to reduce its environmental impact, despite the industry's comparatively small share of global emissions.

He mentioned that the GMA has been proactive in tackling these challenges, participating in several notable projects, including a partnership with the University of London and technical assistance from the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

These initiatives have led to the creation of a national green transition plan, which has garnered praise from the ILO secretary-general.

Vision

For his part, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Shippers Authority (GSA), Prof. Ransford Gyampo, said the nation cannot afford to be a spectator in the green corridor movement.

He averred that the nation, with its rich renewable energy resources, sunlight, wind and the emerging promise of green hydrogen, had the ingredients to take the lead in Africa.

Prof. Gyampo stated that the opportunities ahead for the country were enormous, with new industries poised to emerge from exporting green fuels to the developing world, building world-class expertise in clean shipping technologies, and attracting substantial foreign investment to our ports and energy infrastructure. 

He stated that this vision alone would not produce results, as coordinated national policies, intelligent infrastructure investments, and highly skilled professionals prepared to operate next-generation vessels and equipment were necessary.

He further stated that success depended on strong collaboration among government agencies, port authorities, ship owners, freight forwarders, energy providers and technology innovators.