World's first 'green shipping lane' special act to take effect next April

Standards set for zero- and low-carbon fuels, eco-friendly ports

Support for small shipbuilders expanded to generate new work for K-shipbuilding

[Getty Images Bank]
[Getty Images Bank]

South Korea is moving to establish "green shipping lanes" — routes designed to eliminate carbon emissions across the entire shipping process, from fuel supply and port operations to actual voyages. The government has drawn up detailed implementation standards for a related special act and plans to support the eco-friendly conversion of 889 private and public vessels by 2035.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries announced Thursday that it has prepared draft enforcement decrees and rules for the Special Act on Supporting the Establishment of Green Shipping Lanes, which will be open for public legislative comment from Tuesday through Oct. 13.

Green shipping lanes are routes that aim for zero carbon emissions throughout the entire logistics and transport process between ports, using low- or zero-carbon fuels and eco-friendly technology. South Korea is the first country in the world to enact a special act supporting the establishment of such lanes, with the law set to take effect April 1 next year.

The draft subordinate legislation sets out the detailed standards needed to operate green shipping lanes. It specifies the types of fuel vessels sailing these routes may use and establishes the requirements ports must meet to supply eco-friendly fuel. It also lays out the procedures and criteria for drawing up a master plan and for designating and officially announcing green shipping lanes.

The government is simultaneously working to increase the number of eco-friendly vessels. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy are jointly developing the Second Basic Plan for the Development and Dissemination of Eco-Friendly Ships (2026–2035).

The plan is built around five strategies: research and development of future carbon-reducing vessels, commercialization of new technologies, expansion of eco-friendly fuel supply infrastructure, dissemination of eco-friendly ships, and development of a green shipping and shipbuilding ecosystem. Through these measures, the government plans to support the eco-friendly conversion of 889 private and public vessels by 2035.

Support will also be strengthened for small and mid-sized shipbuilders and equipment makers, which are relatively less equipped to handle eco-friendly vessel technology than large shipyards. The government intends to provide intensive support for eco-friendly ship design and equipment demonstration, and to promote domestic construction of eco-friendly vessels by strengthening ties between the shipbuilding and shipping industries.

The eco-friendly vessel policy and the green shipping lane policy also serve distinct roles. The existing Act on the Promotion of Development and Dissemination of Environment-Friendly Ships focuses on developing eco-friendly technology and expanding vessel supply, while the Green Shipping Lane Special Act is structured to support decarbonization across the entire shipping process — including eco-friendly fuel supply, ports and voyages.

"We will implement the Second Basic Plan for Eco-Friendly Ships without a hitch to secure a leading position in the global eco-friendly vessel market and generate new work for the domestic shipbuilding ecosystem," said Kim Eui-jung, Director General for Manufacturing Industry Policy at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. "We will further accelerate the AI transformation of the shipbuilding industry to secure overwhelming technological advantages for K-shipbuilding."

"While the eco-friendly ships act focused on supporting vessels for the development and wider adoption of green technology, the Special Act on Supporting the Establishment of Green Shipping Lanes will support decarbonization across the entire shipping process," said Jeong Do-hyeon, Director General for Maritime Safety at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries. "Based on both policies, we will actively work to build a maritime decarbonization ecosystem and help our industry lead the global market."


adastra@heraldcorp.com