Shanghai and Melbourne Launch Implementation Plan for Green Shipping Corridor

The Port of Shanghai, the Port of Melbourne and C40 Cities launched the implementation plan for the Shanghai-Melbourne Green Shipping Corridor, which now enters its execution phase. The document sets out measures to reduce emissions across the entire maritime supply chain, focusing on low-carbon fuels, shore power and digital integration between ports and vessels.

The initiative was established on October 19, 2025 at the North Bund Forum in Shanghai, through an agreement between the Shanghai Municipal Transport Commission and the Port of Melbourne, with support from C40 Cities. The new implementation plan was unveiled on October 21, 2026 at the Green and Low-Carbon Forum, as part of the North Bund International Shipping Forum, and sets as a key target the completion of feasibility studies and the deployment of one or more container vessels powered by low-carbon fuels on the Shanghai-Melbourne route by 2035.

The plan identifies green methanol and other non-fossil low-carbon fuels as alternatives to conventional marine fuels. According to Port Technology, Shanghai aims to reach an annual supply capacity of one million tonnes of green methanol and biofuels, while Ports News Russia specifies that Shanghai's transport plans envisage reaching that million-tonne scale capacity by 2030. Melbourne, for its part, has committed to net-zero emissions for its own operations by 2030 and will assess the feasibility of supplying alternative fuels at the port, as well as advancing shore power infrastructure.

The partnership brings together the Shanghai Municipal Transport Commission, the Port of Melbourne and C40 Cities as founding partners, along with Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG) and COSCO Shipping Lines as Chinese industry partners. The energy companies HAMR Energy and ABEL Energy, from Australia, and Shenergy, from China, are involved in fuel production and supply, while the China Classification Society (CCS) led work on fuel standards and certification. C40 Cities, a global climate network bringing together 96 cities with around 920 million inhabitants, will facilitate coordination among the stakeholders involved.

The plan coincides with the 20th anniversary of the sister-port relationship between Shanghai and Melbourne, a link that according to Ports News Russia dates back to 2006. China is Melbourne's leading trading partner, accounting for 50% of the Australian port's container imports and 20% of its exports, which handled a record 3.52 million TEU in the fiscal year ending June 2026. Kevin Austin, Deputy Executive Director of C40 Cities, noted that decarbonizing shipping is urgent to meet the Paris Agreement, while Saul Cannon, CEO of the Port of Melbourne, stated that the plan puts the net-zero emissions commitment into practice and advances shore power potential, green fuel feasibility and the deployment of low-emission vessels on the route.