To navigate the challenge of net-zero carbon emissions, Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp. (Yang Ming) announced that it has joined The Silk Alliance to develop and formulate potential measures for vessel decarbonization among members of the maritime supply chain.
The Silk Alliance is aimed at establishing Green Corridor Cluster and paving the pathway toward maritime decarbonisation.
Yang Ming noted that The Silk Alliance — initiated by the Lloyd's Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub — consists of members with diverse knowledge in shipping.
"The core value of The Silk Alliance is to provide relatively safe, commercially viable, and sustainable fleet-specific decarbonisation strategies for the members across the supply chain to facilitate their decision making regarding transition strategy," Yang Ming said, adding that the collaboration of The Silk Alliance will help the maritime industry to meet its decarbonisation commitments following COP26 under the uncertainties and investment risk of the energy transition.
The first phase of The Silk Alliance is to focus on building Green Corridor Cluster within Asia and will speed up decarbonisation in the maritime industry.
"Yang Ming has been dedicated to environmental sustainability," the Taiwan-based liner said. "Through various energy-saving measures including fuel-efficient hull design, eco-friendly vessel construction, ship speed optimization, Vessel Monitoring System adoption, and retrofitting existing vessels, the company was able to successfully reduce its carbon emission intensity per TEU-km by 57.38% in 2021 when compared to 2008," it added.
Yang Ming noted that this is way ahead of the schedule set by the IMO to reduce carbon intensity by at least 40% by 2030.
Yang Ming noted that in addition to these efforts, it is also planning to build five 15,000 TEU LNG dual-fuel full container vessels, in the hopes of accelerating the transition toward carbon-free shipping with a relatively mature low-carbon fuel option.
The partnership with The Silk Alliance will strengthen Yang Ming's resolve in its energy transition and the ultimate goal of net-zero carbon emissions, it added.
