South Korea’s National Assembly has passed the Green Shipping Corridor Support Act, creating a legal framework to speed up low-emission shipping routes and related port infrastructure.
The law requires the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries to draw up a five-year master plan for green shipping corridor development. It also sets up a Green Shipping Corridor Support Council to coordinate policy and implementation.
The legislation is aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions from maritime transport, a sector cited in the bill as accounting for about 3% of global emissions.
It further provides a legal basis for research and development, workforce training, international cooperation and financial support tied to the expansion of green vessel operations and supporting infrastructure.
However, Seoul-based climate policy group Solutions for Our Climate warned that the final version of the law widened the definition of green vessels to include low-carbon fuels. The group said that approach could prolong the use of fuels such as LNG and bio-LNG instead of speeding the shift to zero-carbon maritime energy.
