Panama Canal to decarbonise its works by 2030

The Panama Canal Authority declared on Monday it has initiated a procedure to decarbonise its works by 2030 through a combination of operational efforts and national incentives.

Wednesday, 28th April 2021

Panama Canal to decarbonise its works by 2030

The Panama Canal Authority declared on Monday it has initiated a procedure to decarbonise its works by 2030 through a combination of operational efforts and national incentives. It includes the obtainment of four electric vehicles for a pilot program aimed at transitioning its fleet away from remains fuels as well as attempting to transition to alternative fuels for powering tugboats, launches, and facilities. Officials also told the canal is associated with the “50 First Carbon-Neutral Organizations,” an action by Panama’s Ministry of Environment to combine state efforts to stimulate moderate climate actions. As part of that program, the canal will form an annual greenhouse gas record and an execution plan with measured targets to reduce emissions, officials also announced. “We at the Panama Canal are dedicated to sustainability, and therefore are laying the ground, building the tools, and knowing the changes required to gain powers that will allow us as an organization to reach carbon neutrality. This is an essential strategy for the waterway’s long-term operation and sustainability,” Panama Canal Administrator Ricaurte Vásquez Morales announced in an announcement Monday. “This process will build on our long-standing attempts to reduce our environmental influence, including supporting customers to use regular fuels and reduce their carbon footprint.” The Panama Canal first began following its carbon footprint in 2013 and supported those efforts in 2017 with the launch of the canal’s Emissions Calculator, a tool that allows shipping lines to measure their conservatory gas (GHG) discharges per route and also increases the canal’s review of the emissions generated by its own day-to-day operations. The Panama Canal has taken other steps to reduce its environmental impact, including achieving water conservation measures and optimizing transits, officials also announced.