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Opinion: Hong Kong and mainland shipping bureaus require ‘more coordination’

As environmental standards for shipping evolve, the Hong Kong government’s role should also, says Christine Loh.
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The following Opinion Piece was written by former undersecretary for the environment and current adjunct professor at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Christine Loh, and first published on the South China Morning Post:

The maritime industry is a global business, with Hong Kong being not only a major port but also a shipping hub with a large presence of businesses serving this sector. Apart from shipowners and ship liners, there are also ship managers, terminal and barge operators, cruise ship companies, ferry service operators, charterers, ship brokers, seafarers, marine fuel suppliers and other service providers such as financiers and lawyers.

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) regulates international shipping. Major issues for the industry include reducing pollutant emissions and decarbonisation. For example, the IMO requires shipping fuels to meet a global sulphur cap of 0.5 per cent by 2020; encourages ships to reduce nitrogen oxide; and for global shipping to reduce its carbon emissions by 50 per cent by 2050.

These mandates affect Hong Kong and the mainland.

Firstly, Hong Kong became the Asian leader in 2013 by adopting a new policy to require ocean-going vessels, such as container and cruise ships, to switch to a cleaner fuel while at berth. The law to require 0.5 per cent sulphur fuel came into effect in 2015.

Secondly, Hong Kong and mainland China cooperated to define new fuel switching regulations, and the mainland created three domestic emissions control zones for ships that became effective from 2019. Ships entering the waters of the zones in the Pearl River Delta, Yangtze Delta and Tianjin area have to switch to the 0.5 maximum sulphur fuel ahead of the IMO mandate.

These efforts have brought measurable and significant improvement to air pollution. However, with the IMO global sulphur cap coming into force soon, Hong Kong and the mainland must go further still if they wish to maintain their leadership positions in Asia. The respective authorities are considering requiring ships to switch to 0.1 per cent maximum sulphur fuel before 2020. The earlier the authorities can make the decision, the better, since other stakeholders, such as shipping companies and bunker suppliers, need to get ready.

Thirdly, in light of the vision for the “Greater Bay Area” plan for the region, to be a leader in green living, Hong Kong, Macau and Guangdong should cooperate on a much bigger plan for green ports and green harbours.

The technology is now available for electric and hybrid ferries. There are large numbers of ferries serving the bay area. The authorities could work with ferry operators on a scheme to replace old ferries with new ones. Setting a plan for reducing emissions from barges should work too.

As for ocean-going vessels, the shipping industry is introducing new engines to reduce nitrogen oxides, and some ports are giving incentives to such ships to help the industry make the necessary investments. The Greater Bay Area can be among the ports to consider this too.

Furthermore, ocean-going vessels, including cruise ships powered by LNG, are being built, including in China. In the next five years, the cruise business along the Chinese coast is expected to grow substantially. Hong Kong will need to be able to provide LNG bunkering facilities if it is to remain relevant as a forward-looking port. Singapore is ready in this pursuit  but Hong Kong is not.

Since the two local power suppliers in Hong Kong are jointly building an LNG-receiving facility to supply LNG for electricity generation, which is a part of Hong Kong’s plan to reduce carbon emissions, the facility can be designed to also provide LNG to ships. Indeed, it would make no sense for the government not to include this as part of the receiving facility.

Hong Kong’s disadvantage is there is no port authority which can mastermind a comprehensive, transformative plan that can dovetail with IMO and international trends, provide for new fuels bunkering, and plan for lowering pollutant emissions and the carbon footprint of ships and port activities. The consultative Port and Maritime Board does not appear to perform such a function.

The government has also not used its membership at the IMO to participate in the global debate on environmental improvement and decarbonisation. It is a great wasted opportunity that environmental officials do not attend the many IMO meetings where such matters are discussed. It is a common practice among other member jurisdictions for officials with different disciplines and responsibilities to attend such meetings at the appropriate times.

The Transport and Housing Bureau and Environment Bureau have bifurcated responsibilities in shipping, port regulation, fuel and energy policy, pollution control and climate change. They would serve Hong Kong and the bay area well by working out a new approach that suits the new era. The mainland is also a member of the IMO, and China as a major shipping and shipbuilding nation has a clear interest in playing a role in the decarbonisation and transformation of the global maritime industry.

The Hong Kong-based shipping sector is interested in seeing the two bureaus cooperate rather than remain in their ineffective silos. The secretary for transport and housing visited Denmark and Norway recently and have seen for himself cleaner ferries and vessels operating. Hopefully, the two bureaus can put forward a strong local – as well as bay area-wide – policy to realise an ambitious plan for green ports and harbours.

Source: South China Morning Post
Photo credit: Sea Asia 2019
Published: 25 April, 2019
 

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Methanol

GENA Solutions: Total renewable and low-carbon methanol project pipeline increases from 61.8 to 62.2 Mt by 2032

Information shared by MI – the Global Methanol Alliance meant to assist the maritime industry in the adoption of methanol as a mainstream marine fuel heading into IMO 2030/2050.
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2 days ago

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September 4, 2026

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MI – the Global Methanol Alliance recently shared with Manifold Times the renewable and low-carbon methanol project pipeline August 2026 release produced by GENA Solutions Oy.

Information from the release is meant to provide the bunkering publication’s readers with insight on renewable methanol availability, and to assist the maritime industry in the adoption of methanol as a mainstream marine fuel heading into IMO 2030/2050.

Key takeaways from GENA’s August 2026 Methanol release are as follows:

  • As of the end of August 2026, GENA tracks 286 renewable and low carbon methanol projects, representing 62.2 Mt of capacity by 2032. This includes 25.1 Mt of e-methanol, 25.9 Mt of biomethanol, and 11.2 Mt of low carbon methanol capacity.
  • Two new projects were added to Project Navigator last month, while one frozen project was excluded. The project pipeline increased by 0.4 Mt month on month.
  • Four new offtake agreements were registered during August, including two biomethanol and two e-methanol agreements.
  • About 8% of the cumulative renewable methanol project pipeline capacity has reached FID so far, with another 11% at the FEED stage.
  • Considering the current uncertainty around regulatory developments and demand growth, GENA projects that renewable methanol capacity could reach 6 Mt to 12 Mt by 2031.

Note: The full article can be viewed here.

Renewable methanol project pipeline 4 Renewable methanol by feedstock 8 Renewable methanol by region 7 Project pipeline by status Methanol capacity scenarios

 

Photo credit: GENA Solutions
Published: 4 September, 2026

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Business

Singapore: MPA urges maritime firms to prepare for potential haze with plan

MPA encourages all maritime companies, especially those with workers performing outdoor work to maintain a business continuity plan for haze.

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6 days ago

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August 31, 2026

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The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Monday (31 August) issued Port Marine Circular No. 9 of 2026 on steps for maritime companies to take for potential haze affecting Singapore:

BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLAN FOR HAZE

This circular supersedes Port Marine Circular No. 09 of 2023.

With reference to the National Environment Agency’s (NEA) joint media release issued on 9 August 2026, hotspots were observed in parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan, with prevailing winds potentially bringing smoke haze towards Singapore. The dry conditions may further increase the likelihood of haze affecting Singapore. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) encourages all maritime companies, especially those with workers performing outdoor work to maintain a business continuity plan for haze.

MPA advises all maritime companies to monitor the PSI level through the media and the NEA’s website (www.haze.gov.sg), keep at least a one-week supply of N95 masks for workers especially those who work outdoors, and observe the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) Haze guidelines and advisory for work which can be found on their website (www.mom.gov.sg/haze). The latter include guidelines to ensure that stocks of N95 masks are periodically inspected, remain serviceable, and not expired.

The visibility in the Singapore Strait and port waters could be significantly reduced in the event of haze. During periods of restricted visibility, shipmasters are advised to keep a proper lookout and navigate with caution. They are also advised to comply with the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea and in particular Rule No. 19, Rule No. 20 and Rule 35 concerning conduct of vessels in restricted visibility, exhibition of navigation lights and sound signals in restricted visibility, respectively.

In the interest of safety of navigation and life at sea, the Port Master may restrict the movement of harbour craft and pleasure craft in the port waters during reduced visibility conditions.

 

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 31 August, 2026

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Alternative Fuels

DNV report: Regulatory uncertainty demands fleet strategies built for multiple futures

Report examines four regulatory scenarios, ranging from adoption of IMO NZF in its current form to its outright rejection, energy efficiency uptake, and long-term bunker fuel and technology strategies.
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1 week ago

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August 28, 2026

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DNV report: Regulatory uncertainty demands fleet strategies built for multiple futures

Regulatory uncertainty is increasing pressure on shipowners to make investment decisions that remain viable across multiple future scenarios, said classification society DNV on Thursday (27 August). 

According to DNV’s 10th Maritime Forecast to 2050, stronger global regulatory signals could accelerate the uptake of energy-efficiency measures, enabling the global fleet to consume up to 25% less energy by 2050 compared to a scenario where regulation is driven by regions.

The report examines four regulatory scenarios, ranging from adoption of the IMO Net-Zero Framework (NZF) in its current form to its outright rejection, which could lead to a period of prolonged regulatory gridlock, and explores the implications of these outcomes for fuel demand, energy efficiency uptake, and long-term fleet fuel and technology strategies.

Cristina Saenz de Santa Maria, CEO Maritime, DNV, said: “Ships ordered today will operate well beyond 2050, but many of the factors shaping their future performance remain uncertain. Regulatory requirements are advancing faster than the fuel, infrastructure, and technological systems needed to support them, making long-term investment decisions increasingly complex. The industry therefore needs greater clarity and alignment among all stakeholders to provide the confidence required for long-term investment. In the meantime, shipowners need strategies that deliver benefits today while remaining resilient across a range of regulatory and market outcomes.”

Energy efficiency is one of the most immediate and practical levers available to shipowners, delivering value across regulatory outcomes whether implemented at the newbuild stage or as a retrofit. A case study of a hydrodynamic measures retrofit on a 5,000 TEU container vessel showed potential annual fuel savings of 16%, with a payback time of around one to four years depending on future fuel prices. Retrofits can add similar value across many ship types and with sufficient planning can typically be completed during a standard class-renewal dry docking.

The development of the marine low-GHG fuel market remains a key challenge. While significant progress has been made in expanding alternative-fuel capabilities of vessels, scaling fuel production depends on confidence that demand will materialize. DNV projects shipping demand for low-GHG fuels to range from 4 to 22 Mtoe by 2030 and 33 to 185 Mtoe by 2050, depending on regulatory outcomes, with uptake also shaped by future uptake of shore power, plug-in hybridization, nuclear power, and onboard carbon capture systems.

Current project pipelines indicate a maximum global supply of 270 Mtoe by 2030, although actual volumes are likely to be lower due to project delays and other uncertainties, and shipping will need to compete with other industries for its share. However, the cost of reducing emissions varies significantly between fuel pathways, with abatement costs ranging from about 180 to 1,290 USD per tonne of CO₂ avoided, highlighting the importance of regulation and market incentives in enabling low-GHG fuel markets to develop.

Øyvind Sekkesæter, lead author of Maritime Forecast to 2050, said: “Scenarios explored in this year’s report show how different regulatory futures can lead to very different outcomes in energy efficiency uptake, fuel demand, and consequently, GHG emissions. By testing fuel and technology choices across multiple scenarios, shipowners can identify strategies that create value today while preserving flexibility as regulation, fuel availability, prices, and technologies evolve. Strategies that each owner chooses will also be dependent on their fleet type and operating context.”

Key findings from the report: 

  • Several regulatory futures remain possible as the IMO continues negotiations on the Net-Zero Framework, with these outcomes shaping investment decisions, low-GHG fuel uptake, and energy-efficiency deployment across the global fleet.
  • With global regulatory incentives in place, the world-fleet could consume 25% less energy by 2050 than under a scenario limited to regional regulations.
  • Energy efficiency can pay off regardless of regulatory outcome – 5,000 TEU container ship case study shows 16% annual fuel savings from hydrodynamic measures retrofit.
  • Shipping demand for low-GHG fuels could range from 4 to 22 Mtoe by 2030, and 33 to 185 Mtoe by 2050, depending on regulatory outcomes and the availability of these fuels in a competitive global market.
  • Current project pipelines indicate that a maximum of 270 Mtoe of supply could be available by 2030, though actual volumes are likely to be lower due to project delays and other uncertainties, and shipping will need to compete with other industries for its share.
  • Testing fuel and technology strategies across different scenarios can help shipowners identify robust choices for an uncertain transition. Testing, piloting, and verifying technologies can provide the trusted performance data needed to make investment decisions with greater confidence.

Note: DNV’s 10th Maritime Forecast to 2050 can be found here. 

 

Photo credit: DNV
Published: 28 August, 2026

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