Ignė Stalmokaitė: Policy coordination for green shipping corridors in the Baltic Sea

The concept of green shipping corridors emerged as part of global efforts to reduce maritime emissions and accelerate the energy transition to zero carbon shipping. Under the Clydebank Declaration, signed during the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow (COP26), more than twenty countries committed to fostering partnerships and coordination needed to facilitate the launch of at least six green shipping corridors – ‘zero-emission maritime routes between two (or more) ports’ – by the middle of this decade.

In the context of global efforts to pioneer green shipping corridors, the Baltic Sea stands out as a key example of regional cooperation aimed at supporting the transition to zero-carbon fuels, aligned with strengthened global and European regulatory frameworks. These include the International Maritime Organisation’s revised GHG reduction strategy, the FuelEU Maritime initiative, and the inclusion of shipping in the EU Emission Trading System. Historically, cross-border policy coordination has been instrumental in strengthening the environmental protection from the pollution of shipping, for example, by designating the Baltic Sea as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) and an Emission Control Area (ECA) to control SOx and NOx emissions from shipping. Policy coordination and project cooperation on green shipping initiatives in the Baltic Sea Region are enhanced through various intergovernmental platforms, frameworks, and working groups, including the HELCOM Green Team (Sub-group on Green Technology and Alternative Fuels for Shipping), the Council of the Baltic Sea States Expert Group on Sustainable Maritime Economy, the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region Policy Area Ship, and the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions, among others.

Among these platforms, the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) plays an important role in coordinating policy efforts and information exchange related to green shipping corridors in the Baltic Sea Region. As an intergovernmental organisation for political dialogue and practical cooperation, the CBSS and its Expert Group on Sustainable Maritime Economy (EGSME) provides a forum for knowledge exchange and cross-border coordination between governments, maritime authorities, and industry stakeholders. EGSME group is comprised of national experts from CBSS Member States’ line ministries dealing with maritime affairs, the European Commission’s Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries as well as observer organisations. Under the guidance of the German EGSME Chairmanship (2022-2023), the group has initiated the work on green shipping corridors in the Baltic Sea Region and established a network of national contact points for green shipping corridors in all CBSS Member States. This work continued under the Finnish EGSME Chairmanship (2023-2024) and is currently being carried out by the Estonian EGSME Chairmanship (2024-2025).

While government support is instrumental in the early development stage of green shipping corridors, particularly in enabling partnerships and establishing financial support mechanisms, maintaining momentum will require addressing the growing gap between policy expectations and delivery capacity. Furthermore, closing the fuel cost gap, increasing international cooperation and enhancing data sharing across borders will be critical areas for continued policy coordination and intervention. Collaborative public-private efforts remain key to ensuring that green shipping corridors can scale effectively.