South Korea is preparing new rules for green shipping corridors, creating what it says is the first dedicated legal framework for such projects, Splash 247 reports. The move gives shipowners and ports a clearer framework as the industry works to reduce emissions.
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has prepared detailed rules for the Special Act on Support for the Establishment of Green Shipping Corridors. Public consultation will start next week, and the law will take effect on April 1 next year.
Green shipping corridors connect ports where ships can use low- or zero-carbon fuels, electricity and other clean technologies. South Korea’s new rules will define eligible marine fuels, set requirements for green ports and establish procedures for creating new corridors.
Most green shipping corridor projects around the world are based on agreements between governments, ports and shipping companies. South Korea is taking a different approach by putting these projects into a national legal framework.
The move is part of a wider plan to make the country’s fleet more environmentally friendly. Under its 2026–2035 programme, Seoul aims to support the green conversion of 889 public and private vessels. It also plans to help smaller shipyards develop green ship technologies and increase the construction of cleaner vessels in South Korea.
